


Obey Me! My Time In The Devildom Exchange Program

by Author_Of_Insanity101



Series: Obey Me! [1]
Category: Shall We Date?: Obey Me!
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-19
Updated: 2021-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:55:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 35
Words: 166,563
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28166610
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Author_Of_Insanity101/pseuds/Author_Of_Insanity101
Summary: Isabella Collins, or Belle to her friends, is pulled from her normal life, thrust into a world of demons... smoking hot demons. Stuck for a year, she tries to make the best of her situation. Then, she finds a stranger hidden away in the attic, leading her on a mission that reveals some surprising secrets about the brothers, and about herself as well
Relationships: Main Character (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)/Everyone
Series: Obey Me! [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2063442
Comments: 8
Kudos: 57





	1. The Exchange Program

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Isabella is accepted into the RAD exchange program and meets literal demons. Needless to say, she's overwhelmed

If there was one piece of advice I would give my past self, it would be to always read the fine print before signing any document. You never know what hidden clauses will be tucked among all the rules and comments. For example, when signing up for a student exchange program, make sure that the list of acceptable places does not include Hell.

…

My day had started out normal, eating my usual breakfast of whatever still smelled decent in my fridge and going through my mail. I was still in my PJs as I went through the stack of bills for my expensive studio apartment, giving them my usual deadpan stare. Among the menagerie of bills and notices, a dark red letter stood out. It was monogrammed with golden accents along the edge and the address was written in an elegant cursive with enough differentiation in the letters to suggest it was handwritten.

Tossing the bills aside, I examined the unfamiliar envelope. There was no return address, merely a set of initials set in gold on the flap of the envelope. They read "R.A.D". Since I certainly didn't know anyone who could afford such expensive stationary, I double checked the address. It still had my name and apartment number, so, I opened it.

The letter inside was on pitch black paper, golden lettering glistening in the light of my kitchen. Dominating the top of the letter was the word "Congratulations!" Underneath was a handwritten missive in the same graceful calligraphy that was on the envelope.

" _Congratulations Isabella Collins! You have been accepted into the Royal Academy of Diavolo student exchange program. You are one of four students selected to participate in this one year program. We look forward to interacting with you and sharing our culture and heritage. Please sign below to accept this invitation to this exclusive opportunity. Expect an immediate response._ "

I looked over the letter, trying to figure out what was going on. It was only then that I remembered signing up for my university's Student Exchange program. When I hadn't heard anything from them in months, I had assumed I had not been accepted. However, this letter clearly proved my thinking false. I did not recognize the Academy referenced in the letter, and a quick Google search proved absolutely useless, but if the stationary and handwritten letter were anything to go by, I was certain I would be well taken care of.

Deciding to throw caution to the wind and take a chance, I began searching for a pen. After literally turning my backpack upside down, I found a pen that still had some ink and grabbed it, signing my name. For a moment, the ink seemed to glow as I finished my signature. I brushed it off as a trick of the light, getting up to find an envelope to return the letter. I made it two steps before everything went black.

…

I opened my eyes slowly, not sure exactly what happened. Upon opening my eyes, I took note of several things. First, I was not in my apartment. I was in what appeared to be a large courtroom. Several men were gathered around me, looking down upon me with stoic expressions. I felt a bit subconscious, covering myself for fear they would see my terrible pajamas. That when I took note of change number two: I was no longer in my pajamas.

My pajamas had been replaced with what appeared to be a militaristic uniform, which consisted of a dark grey tunic with gold trim and two columns of buttons framing the center. The neckline was low, revealing a yellow ribbon tie over a dark cerulean green collared shirt. A red cloak rested on my left shoulder, coming down to the small of my back. A belt was wrapped around my waist and my sleeves were decorated in a black and gold ermine pattern. I wore a pair of grey slacks the same color of my tunic and a pair of dark grey boots that toed the line between dressy and combat-ready.

As I gave my new uniform a pat-down, I took note that someone had even taken the time to do my hair in a fishtail braid. It was then that I observed one of the men who had been watching me rise to his feet. He was dressed in a bright red variation of my own uniform with a black shirt, white standard tie, and black mini cloak. He had short, reddish hair and bright golden eyes that almost seemed to glow. Though he appeared young, something about him made me feel as if there was more to him than met the eye.

"Welcome to the Devildom, Isabella," he greeted.

I stared at him, the sudden shift in everything throwing me off. He must have noticed my look of shock and confusion because his expression softened considerably.

"Oh, pardon me," he excused himself, looking a bit worried. "I imagine this is quite the shock, given that you just arrived. But, not to worry. We'll help you adjust as best we can. For a human such as yourself, the Devildom can be overwhelming."

"Devildom?" I repeated, the word not quite registering in my over processing brain.

"Yes, exactly. The Devildom. You catch on quickly. Very good."

I sputtered, having had my question completely ignored. Before I could try again, the man spoke once more.

"Let me start by introducing myself." He put a hand against his chest, giving a small bow. "My name is Diavolo, the ruler of all demons and future king of the Devildom."

And there was that word again, Devildom. I still had no idea what that meant, but as I processed Diavolo's introduction, I received a sinking feeling in my gut. My eyes drifted towards a massive window looking out of the "courtroom", which made me realize difference number three: I was no on Earth anymore. Outside the window was a stunning view of a massive city. It looked like a cross between a medieval kingdom, Hollywood, and Las Vegas. A large castle bathed in purple light sat in the center of the city, different colored lights twinkling throughout the sprawling cityscape.

"This here is the Royal Academy of Diavolo, though we mostly just call is RAD." Diavolo announced, causing me to snap my attention back to him. "You're standing in the assembly hall, the very heart of RAD. This is where the officers of the student council hold our meetings and conduct our business."

"Let me guess, you're the president?" I spoke up.

Diavolo beamed at me like I was a puppy who had just performed a trick for the first time.

"Exactly! You're really are a quick learner. I imagine you'll do very well here."

"Yeah, that's all well and good, but I have a question."

"Of course, ask me anything," Diavolo offered with a warm and inviting smile.

"Why am I here?" I asked bluntly.

From the seat to the right of Diavolo, another man stood up. He wore a uniform identical to my own, but rather than a green shirt and yellow tie, he had a black collared shirt buttoned up to his throat and a pair of black gloves. His skin was iridescently white, his face framed by black hair with frosted tips. His eyes were dark red and his entire body was almost rigid, as if his spine were a steel rod. He looked as though he would feel comfortable commanding legions of armies, and the military style uniform did not do much to dissuade this notion.

"I will explain everything to you," he declared.

"Isabella, this is Lucifer," Diavolo introduced, patting Lucifer on the back hard enough that he bent forward slightly. "He is a demon and the Avatar of Pride. He is also the Student Council vice-president and my right hand man."

When I heard the name 'Lucifer', my eyes went wide. I stared at the man before me, wondering if this was _the_ Lucifer. If he was, why wasn't _he_ the king of the Devildom instead of this Diavolo character? This question, along with an entire slew of others, rushed through my head.

"He is also my most trusted friend," Diavolo laughed a bit at the end before flashing Lucifer a warm smile.

"Flattery will get you nowhere, Diavolo," Lucifer said sternly, adjusting his tunic before turning to me and putting on what I could only describe as the customer-service-smile. "Speaking on behalf of the entire student body at this prestigious academy of ours, I offer you our most heartfelt welcome, Isabella."

"Um…" I struggled to get my thoughts in order. "You can just call me Belle. Everyone does." With this introduction, I reclaimed control of my tongue and was able to speak coherently once more. "And you never answered my question. Why am I here?"

Lucifer seemed taken aback, his smile becoming somewhat amused and less forced.

"Interesting, this one isn't like Solomon as all," he mused.

Before I could ask for clarification of this remark, Lucifer spoke up, addressing me.

"Diavolo believes that we demons should start strengthening our relationship with both the human world and the Celestial Realm."

Suddenly, Diavolo piped up again.

"Not in your stereotypical tyrannical way. We're trying a diplomatic and peaceful approach."

"This exchange program is the first step towards this goal," Lucifer continued, acting as if he hadn't just been interrupted. "We've exchanged two students with the human world and two with the Celestial Realm."

"Right, the 'one of four' thing mentioned in the letter," I recalled.

"Exactly," Lucifer nodded. "Two of them are from the Celestial Realm while you and the fourth are the first humans to come to the Devildom. The four of you will be staying at our prestigious academy for one year, after which you will write a paper about your exchange."

I let out a groan at the mention of a paper. They were always my least favorite thing to do, and something told me that the RAD would be particularly strict when it came to this sort of thing. My imagination went a bit wild as I imagined what punishments an academy in the Devildom would have for missed assignments or poor grades. Lucifer noticed my discomfort immediately and spoke up again.

"We are not asking for a doctoral thesis, so don't get yourself worked up."

"That's not even this biggest issue," I pointed out. "I'm apparently one of only two humans here and I'm just supposed to go to school in what I can only assume is Hell-

"Devildom," Diavolo interjected.

"...Devildom," I corrected, Diavolo giving two thumbs up at the word. "...for the next year. Do you see how jarring that is?"

"Oh, stop glaring at me," Lucifer admonished, a playful edge to his smile. "Do you honestly think I will abandon you all by yourself in the Devildom?"

Part of me nearly said yes right off the bat. However, I stopped myself, sensing this was not the time to be snarky or sarcastic, especially since I still didn't know the full scope of my situation. Luckily, Lucifer didn't leave me in the dark forever.

"You'll need someone to look after you," he decided, "and I think that someone should be my brother, Mammon."

I blinked in surprise.

"Brother? You have a brother?"

The smile on Lucifer's face disappeared, replaced with a grim, somewhat angry glare.

"I have several brothers, myself being the eldest of them, and Mammon is the second oldest. He's the Avatar of Greed and… How should I put it?" he trailed off, as if trying to figure out how to word his next sentence carefully before just giving up and sighing. "Well, it matters little. You'll understand soon enough."

Lucifer then reached up towards Diavolo's podium, grabbing something from it. It appeared to be a cellphone, and a very high tech one at that. He held it out for me and I took it. It had a red lock screen with a white raven silhouette in the center. I looked it over, scrunching my face in confusion.

"What's this? Some sort of cellphone?"

"An apt comparison to be sure," Lucifer clarified. "It's called a D.D.D. and works just like one of your cellphones. It's yours for the duration of your stay. Mammon's number is already in the phone book, so feel free to call him."

I looked at the D.D.D. unlocking it with a swipe of my finger and opening the home page. Surprisingly, the home page was bright, a mixture of pastel colors that mimicked a sunrise gradient. There were several apps lining the screen, but I ignored them for now, hitting the phone button. As Lucifer promised, several names were already in my phone book, but I scrolled past them until I got to the M's. In the profile icon was a picture, clearly a selfie, of a young man with stark white hair and caramel skin. He had a pair of square sunglasses with gold lenses on his face and had a grin that screamed pompousness on his face. I felt a twinge of trepidation as I hit the call button.

" _Yoooo,_ " Mammon greeted, sounding bored.

"Hi," I greeted back, trying to sound polite but barely hiding my growing apprehension.

" _Huh?_ " Mammon let out, sounding a bit confused now. " _Who the hell are you? You ain't Lucifer._ "

"I'm Belle. I'm a human."

" _What?_ _A human? Jeez, next time lead with that, okay? I thought you were Lucifer again, gave me the chills._ "

I rolled my eyes, getting the feeling that Mammon was going to be a handful. My feelings were quickly confirmed when Mammon spoke again.

" _So, what business does a human got with THE Mammon?"_ He asked, putting emphasis on the word 'The'.

"Apparently you're gonna be in charge of me from now on," I informed him, sighing near the end.

" _Nope._ _No way. There's nothing in it for me._ "

"Gee, way to make a girl feel welcome," I muttered sarcastically.

" _Whaddya even mean by 'be in charge of you'?"_

"I'm the second exchange student." I was growing more and more annoyed. "Kinda new to the area. Need a guide and all that. Ring any bells?"

" _Yeah, but like I said, nothing in it for me._ " Mammon retorted.

I growled and was about to hang up before I recalled what he said about Lucifer giving him the chills. I smirked, deciding to give it a shot.

"Alright, guess I'll tell Lucifer you're slacking on the job."

Mammon snorted, clearly not buying my threat.

" _Whatever._ _Ya think THE Mammon would listen to ya just 'cause you're tryin' to scare me with that name?_ "

Before I could retort, Lucifer took my D.D.D.

"You have 10 seconds." He said coldly. "9… 8…"

I heard a panicked "Yes sir" on the other line before the call was cut off. Lucifer handed me back my D.D.D. I looked at it for a bit, my opinion of my situation dropping by the minute.

"Well, Mammon seems reliable," I muttered sarcastically as I tucked the D.D.D. into my tunic.

"Don't worry Isabella, or Belle, as it were," Diavolo assured me. "I know that if I were suddenly brought to a strange place and then told an unfamiliar face would be taking care of me, I'd feel anxious myself. However, Mammon isn't the only one who will be watching over you."

"I want that news to make me feel better, but something's telling me I need more information before I let myself get my hopes up."

"Of course, of course," Diavolo said, waving me down softly. "Lucifer, why don't you introduce Belle to the rest of your brothers. I do believe it would be best if you did it rather than me."

Lucifer looked somewhat sick to his stomach at the idea.

"Very well…" There was a pained tinge to his voice. "As much as I dread the idea, she'll have to meet them sooner rather than later."

"Oh, come now, really?" A voice called out in admonishment. "You should be honored to introduce such a _sweet_ and _charming_ little brother like me."

Both Lucifer and I turned towards the source of the voice, a young man with long brown hair swept artfully over his right eye. He wore a uniform like mine with a loose pink bow tie that was tight enough to show off his model-esque body without being too revealing . He seemed to give off the aura of a Johnny Bravo character, someone who clearly expected to be adored and worshipped for his beauty. I'm pretty sure that if I was downwind, he'd probably reek of cologne.

"This one here is Asmodeus," Lucifer stated, a weariness in his voice. "He's the fifth eldest and the Avatar of Lust."

"Wow," I let out, barely above a whisper. "That makes a surprising amount of sense, honestly."

Asmodeus ignored me, taking the opportunity to glare at his elder brother.

"How dare you!" he accused. "First you totally ignore me, then you have the gall to refer to me as 'this one'?"

"At least he didn't ignore you all together," A new voice piped up. "How do you think _I_ feel?"

This new voice belonged to a blonde boy in a yellow bow tie and piercing green eyes. Out of all the demons I'd spoken to as of yet, he seemed the most normal. He gave off an aura that was almost human, possibly even close enough to be comforting. I almost felt relieved until Lucifer spoke again.

"That one is Satan, the fourth eldest of us," He seethed, a hard edge to his voice. "At first glance, he may seem like a responsible demon with a good head on his shoulders, but looks can be deceiving."

Satan snorted, glaring at Lucifer with such an intense hatred, his eyes almost sparked with fire.

"Oh, so I'm 'That one', am I?" He snarled back, with the same amount of edge to his own voice.

He turned away from his brother before addressing me, a disarming and charming smile on his face, one that did not seem to fully reach his eyes. He stood with his arms slightly extended, as if to say "look at me". His almost boy-ish face was complimented well by his also boy-ish figure.

"Nice to meet you, Belle. I'm Satan, the Avatar of Wrath."

"Somehow, that does not surprise me," I whispered, hopefully quiet enough no one heard me. "The most unassuming ones always have the hair triggers."

"You're correct," Lucifer nodded, surprising me with the slight purr to his voice as he leaned close. "He may flash you a pretty smile, but you had better be careful because it's all an act."

"Oh stop with the nonsense, Lucifer," Satan admonished. "You'll scare Belle." He then turned back to me and flashed that same smile as before, but I could sense an aura of rage radiating off of him like a fog. "Don't take him too seriously, Belle. Lucifer enjoys speaking ill of his brothers. He is the Avatar of Pride after all."

"Are you done?" He sighed before shaking his head and continuing introductions. "The one over there with the very grumpy look on his face is Beelzebub. He's the sixth oldest."

I followed Lucifer's gaze towards a large man with wild red hair and pink eyes. He had his green shirt partially unbuttoned, the collar popped out. Underneath he had an orange tee-shirt that poked out and his tunic was unbuttoned. There was the slightest glimpse of muscle peeking from underneath his shirt that, in normal circumstances, would have made me wonder what he was hiding. He glanced over at Lucifer with a stern look on his face.

"Lucifer, I'm hungry," Beelzebub announced, giving almost adorable puppy dog eyes towards his brother.

"That's too bad." Lucifer deadpanned. "Behave yourself."

Beelzebub's stomach growled loudly, reminiscent of a lion's growling, as his face fell.

"I'm assuming he's the Avatar of Gluttony?" I spoke up.

"That is correct," Lucifer nodded.

"So, each of your brothers is an Avatar for each of the seven deadly sins," I pieced together. "That just leaves Envy and Sloth, if I remember my bible study."

"Again, correct. We'll get to those two in time."

"The brothers will be in charge of you," Diavolo announced, taking over the conversation once more. "To keep you safe, you are to stay with them at the House of Lamentation."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Excuse me?!" I bristled against what felt like a vague threat, holding up my hands. "House of Lamentation? Keep me safe?"

"The House of Lamentation is where me and my brothers live," Lucifer explained. "It's a rather spacious house that originated from the human world. Supposedly, it holds a rather nasty curse, but we have yet to see anything to suggest these rumors to be true. Still, being a home from the human world, there should be no problem with you, a human, living there."

"Right... And the 'keeping me safe' bit?"

"While most demons agree to Diavolo's plan, there are those who would delight in tearing the flesh from your bones," Lucifer stated matter-of-factly. "As you are under our care for the duration of your stay, your safety is our responsibility, and I _won't_ betray Diavolo's expectations."

"Besides, we cannot allow this exchange program to be marred by the consumption of one of its participants," Diavolo piped up.

I was speechless, a cold sweat running down my back. I tugged at my ribbon tie, finding it difficult to breathe all of a sudden.

"Can I go home now? I wanna go home..."

"Do not worry," Lucifer assured me. "Me and my brothers will do everything in our power to ensure you survive your stay down here. As such, we have already provided you with our contact information in your D.D.D. Should you need any of us, we are merely a phone call or a text away."

Just as I was about to voice my desire to go home once more, the doors to the courtroom were thrown open with a cacophonous bang. Everyone turned to see Mammon entering. He looked exactly like his profile picture on my D.D.D, though he was wearing the same uniform as the rest of us. His collar was partially undone, framed by a loosely done yellow tie. His tunic was messy and unbuttoned, covered in wrinkles and with the sleeves bunched halfway up his forearms, which, if I was honest with myself, were not bad to look at. Although I had to admit, I was thinking more about how Beelezebub's muscles would look.

"Hey!" He shouted, locking eyes on me and stalking forward. "Just _who_ do you think you are, human?! You have some nerve summoning The Great Mammon!" He got in my face, jamming his finger into my chest. "Listen up, and listen good. If you don't want me to skin you alive here and now, you'll hand over all of your valuables here and now."

I stared him down, my annoyance of my situation, as well as a personal pet peeve about being poked and having my personal bubble invaded, making me a bit bolder than normal. I slapped his hand aside, prodding _him_ instead.

"Get. out. of. my. face." I emphasized every word with a stab of my finger into his chest.

"Yes, Mammon." Lucifer rose menacingly behind me. "I would do what she says."

Mammon looked up at Lucifer, then at me. After a split second, when he didn't act fast enough, Lucifer punched him.

"Ow!" Mammon went stumbling backwards, holding his cheek. "What's the big idea? You're supposed to give me the chance to actually obey before you go through with your threat!"

Lucifer just adjusted his tunic again, an amused smirk still gracing his face, as I looked Mammon over.

"I'm gonna take a wild guess and say he's the Avatar of Greed." I looked at Lucifer to confirm my suspicions.

"Indeed," Satan piped up, smiling in amusement. "He governs and oversees all forms of it. Whenever he takes a liking to someone, they find themselves awash with money. But beware, fall from his favor, and you'll find yourself destitute."

"And he's also a masochist~" Asmodeus added with a playful grin and almost knowing wink. "That part's _very_ important."

"Oh, reeeally?" I looked Mammon over, Asmodeus' grin now mirrored on my face. "Is that why he acted like a scummy piece of shit?"

"No, that's just how he is," Satan said with a shit-eating grin.

"Shut up!" Mammon snapped. "I ain't a masochist, so stop lyin'!"

"Mammon..." Lucifer growled.

Mammon jolted, turning to Lucifer with an expression of fear. Lucifer then put a hand on my shoulder, pushing me towards Mammon.

"This is Isabella." Lucifer gestured to me. "For the duration of her stay, you will be in charge of seeing to her needs. I expect your _full_ cooperation."

"What?!" Mammon exclaimed, causing me to flinch from the sheer volume of his voice. "Why me?!"

"Awww, lucky you, Mammon!" Asmodeus whined. "I'm so jealous... it would be nice to have such a cute plaything."

"You want her, take her!" Mammon declared, shoving me towards Asmodeus' podium.

I stumbled, nearly face planting on the ground. Before I did, Lucifer gracefully stepped in, his arm catching me around my waist to prevent my fall. He helped steady me, keeping one hand on my waist, before turning towards Mammon.

"If I had wanted this job assigned to Asmodeus, I would have assigned it to him. But, I assigned it to you," Lucifer explained, annoyance playing at the edge of his voice. "No backing out, no weaseling out of your responsibilities. This is a direct command from me."

"But why me?!" Mammon moaned. "What about Beel? Why can't he do it?!"

Mammon seemed almost desperate at this point. I was half wondering if he might get on his knees and start begging.

"Because Beel might accidentally eat her," Asmodeus spoke up.

I found my gaze drifting over to Beelzebub. He gave a small shrug.

"Yeah, I can't promise I wouldn't."

I scooted slightly away from Beel's podium. Mammon just glared at the sixth brother.

"You're useless, you know that?! You don't have to eat everything!"

"Mammon?" Lucifer growled softly.

Mammon shrunk slightly, turning his attention back to Lucifer.

"Wh-what?"

" _Surely,_ you're not going to tell me you object to this arrangement, are you?" An aura of power and barely contained rage started radiating off Lucifer like a cloud of purple mist.

Mammon went wide-eyed, stepping back slightly. After a moment, he gave in and let out a grunt of defeat.

"Ugh, I hate you guys! Every last one of ya!" He reached over for me, grabbing my arm and pulling me towards him. "I'll do it, okay?! You win! The human's my responsibility!" He then turned to me with a threatening glare. "Alright human, listen up. As much as I don't want to look after you, I've got no choice. It's a huge pain in the ass, and I'm too important for this kind of thing."

I ripped my arm free from his grip, meeting his glare. I stood there for a moment, starting to seethe with rage.

"Okay, clearly you don't like me." I stepped towards him, forcing him to step back. "Trust me, the feeling is mutual." I took another step, backing Mammon against a podium. "You think-" I pointed my finger at myself. "-I want some-" I wagged my finger in his face. "-selfish, self-absorbed asshole watching over me?!" I turned on my heel and began walking off.

"I like this girl already," Asmodeus smirked.

"Well guess what, human?" Mammon sneered. "Here is the Devildom, Diavolo's word is law, ditto for Lucifers. We ain't got a choice, got it?"

I stopped in my tracks, the tension between me and my new "friend" so thick you could cut it with a knife. I slowly turned back around, staring Mammon down with a look that could kill.

"Now that we have the matter of your caretaker sorted out, let's address the tasks you will be assigned for your stay here," Lucifer spoke up after a few moments, regaining the attention of the room.

"Wait, tasks?" I let out.

"Yes." Lucifer smiled as he explained. "Your task is to polish up your soul nicely and to acquire the power to resist demons."

"Way ahead of you on that last bit, Lucifer," I snarled, shooting Mammon a glare, to which he returned by sticking out his tongue like a child. Lucifer simply continued his explanation.

"This is a bit more than being rebellious with us. Demons like humans with nice souls. They are like shining jewels to us, and we will use every ability in our arsenal to tempt humans into relinquishing their souls. Acquiring souls is our task, so you will have your work cut out for you."

"Great..." I groaned.

"Don't despair," Lucifer insisted. "So long as you remain noble and keep your soul shining, they will be forced to make a run for it. You could say it's an experiment to see who would win."

"Yaaaay," I let out in faux excitement. "I've always wanted to be in a test study."

"Too bad her soul is already pitch black," Mammon muttered.

"Now, now, Mammon," Asmodeus admonished with a smile in his voice, descending from his podium with the grace of a runway model. "Don't go lying to our precious exchange student. I can see that her soul is a glittering diamond."

He approached me, giving me a warm, dazzling smile that could be described as pageant-winning. His entire form seemed to sparkle, as if he was a Twilight vampire. He took my hand in his, grasping it in what I assumed was supposed to be a sensual manner, bowing slightly.

"It's such a shame you were not assigned me as your guardian." He peered up from behind his lashes. "I would have been such a better fit for a gorgeous princess like yourself. If you ever need anything, you need simply ask for it."

I looked at Asmodeus with an uncomfortable expression before dislodging my hand from his.

"Uh… thanks... I think I can manage."

Asmodeus seemed stunned. He dropped his dramatic Romeo impression, looking me over with surprise.

"How odd, most women swoon at the very sight of me. How rare it is to find someone immune to my charm."

"I've just never been one for the whole 'Prince Charming' shtick." I shrugged.

"Lucifer, I'm still hungry." Beel spoke up, his grumbling stomach a more audible reminder.

"I know." Lucifer pinched the bridge of his nose. "Behave yourself."

I looked over the various demons, from the Lord of the Devildom to the brothers that would essentially be my host family for the next year. I rubbed my head, feeling a headache coming on.

"This is a nightmare," I groaned.

"Don't worry, Belle," Diavolo spoke up once more. "I'm certain you will enjoy your stay at the House of Lamentation and become fast friends with Lucifer and his brothers. After all, you are the beginning of a universe where angels, humans, and demons accept one another. This is my dream, and you will be its foundation."

I met his gaze, seeing the optimistic expression on his face. He reminded me of a child who dreamed of becoming president. Unable to properly express my doubts of his dream, I just shook my head.

"This is gonna be one hell of a year," I sighed.


	2. The House of Lamentation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Belle arrives at her new home for the next year, and meets the unusual third brother, who gives her a very interesting idea

The House of Lamentation was exactly how I pictured a haunted house: tall, angular, and with a foreboding aura that would put the Addam's Family house to shame. It reminded me of the house from Clue, and honestly, the idea of finding a dead body in the foyer wouldn't surprise me. A massive wrought iron gate surrounded the property, which held the large gothic manor house, a skeletal oak tree, and an entire murder of crows. I looked up at the place I would be calling home for the next year, my heart dropping into my stomach. The verbal complaints from my unwilling guardian proved I was not the only one unhappy with the current situation.

"Ugh, I don't believe this," Mammon muttered. "Of all the rotten luck… Why should I have to look after some _human_? It's insulting, that's what it is!"

"Hey, I'm right here!"

Mammon ignored me, continuing with his complaints.

"The rotten bastard. Does he really think he can scare me into doin' whatever he wants?" He then turned to me, poking me in the sternum once more. "Just so we're clear, it's not like I can't say no to Lucifer, okay?! I only agreed to babysit you because, um… well, you know, because… uh..." he shook his head. "It doesn't matter! Just don't go thinking that I'm scared of Lucifer or anything, because I'm not!"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," I retorted, batting his hand away. "The only thing I care about right now is that you stop poking me like I'm some damn interactive museum exhibit."

Mammon looked at his slapped hand with annoyance and anger.

"Oh, now you're askin' for it! You have some nerve, talking to me that way. Aren't you scared of me? I am a demon after all, or are you too _stupid_ for that fact to penetrate your thick skull?"

"Sorry, but right now you're more of an annoying, buzzing gnat that won't shut up than something to be scared of."

Mammon glared at me, looking like he wanted to say something.

"You… are one strange human, you know that?"

"Whatever." I shoved past him, cursing under my breath. "I'm going inside."

I pushed open the large gates, expecting the hinges to be loud and obnoxious. They did not disappoint, making a noise that scattered the crows with a chorus of caws and squawks. I made it three steps before Mammon seemed to realize I was leaving him behind. He quickly rushed to catch up to me, hopefully meaning he was taking his role as my guardian somewhat seriously.

…

There was, thankfully, no body strewn about the foyer, which filled me with some sense of relief. The general decor also somewhat alleviated my fear that I was stepping into a haunted house. Everything was clean and well-tended to. The paintings lining the walls were well kept and placed ever so carefully amongst the blue wallpaper. A long, ornate carpet led from the foyer to a large hearth room, where a fire was crackling in the fireplace. Twin gargoyle statues rested on two columns guarding the top of two different sets of stairs leading to the balcony of the second floor.

"Welcome to the House of Lamentation." Mammon gestured to the foyer, sounding like a bored tour guide. "This is one of the dorms here at RAD, and not just any dorm. It's the dorm reserved for the student council members."

"Riiiight, you and your brothers." I wagged my finger in remembrance. "I'm still surprised someone like you is a member of the student council."

"Hey!" Mammon exclaimed. "Lucifer, Asmo and the others may insult me, calling me scum, or a money-grubber, but I am an officer of the student council, same as them. I am the elite of the elite, the _top_ of the RAD social pyramid. In other words, I'm a big shot. A _real_ big shot. Like, even regular big shots are impressed by what a big shot I am. So don't you go thinking that I'm just some ordinary demon. I'm nothing like those other peons walking the halls here."

There was a long moment of silence. I stood there with my arms crossed, impatiently tapping my foot and giving Mammon a cold glare.

"Done?" I raised my eyebrow at him. "Besides, if you're such a big shot, then what does that make Lucifer, or Diavolo for that matter?"

"First of all, it's LORD Diavolo," Mammon corrected. "Show him respect, human. And to answer your question, they're even bigger bigshots than me, Diavolo being the biggest of the bigshots. He's so important that he's got his own castle."

I gave a silent 'ah', nodding slowly as he said this.

"Now, let's get this stupid tour over with."

He began walking briskly down the hall, forcing me to scramble to catch up.

…

"The first stop on our tour is Beel's favorite room, the kitchen." Mammon pushed the doors to the massive kitchen open. "He's always in here and always hungry. You want to actually keep your snacks, you better have one hell of a hiding spot."

I looked in the kitchen to see a spacious area that wouldn't look out of place in a five star restaurant. Everything was pristine and state of the art, the kitchenware all arranged in a way that was both artful and organized. On the massive fridge, there was a note stuck to the door with a magnet, written in a neat cursive handwriting I could only assume was Lucifer's

" _Beelzebub, please remember other people need to eat too._ "

Mammon continued into the kitchen to push open a door on the other side, opening it to reveal an ornate room with a table large enough to hold a feast fit for a king. There were eight tall-backed chairs with what looked like hand carved stiles and backings. The center pieces were large vases filled with beautiful roses of all colors and stunning candelabras.

"Up next is the dining room where we have all of our meals." Mammon grabbed a chair that had a bat emblem on it. "This is my chair. You are not allowed to sit in it, got it?"

"Can I not touch it either?" I sneered as Mammon attempted to stare me down. A quick glance at the other chairs showed that all except one had different animals carved into the backs. "I'm guessing the emblems represent each of you."

"Yep, that one's yours." Mammon answered, pointing to a chair with no emblem.

I took a look at the chair, then Mammon grabbed me by the arm, pulling me out of the dining room. We walked up the stairs towards a long hallway with several doors. Mammon stopped in front of the first door, which was painted a matte black, gesturing to it.

"This is Lucifer's room. Unless you have express permission to enter, don't. Got it?"

Deciding to be somewhat cheeky, I leaned towards the door.

"Don't..." He warned as I reached for the doorknob. "Don't..."

My fingertips barely grazed the doorknob before he grabbed my wrist and pulled me away.

"Moving on!"

He dragged me over to another door, one that had several dents at about eye level. They seemed to be from incessant knocking from one or more angry parties. There were remnants of what looked like stick-on wallpaper starting to peel off of it, the faded designs made to look like various types of currency.

"This is my room, my sanctum, my personal Mammon cave. As it is full of all of my most precious treasures, it is no place for a _mere human_."

I took a deep breath to try and calm myself, which just forced the stench of dirty socks and old spicy ramen down my nose. I covered my face with my free hand, suppressing a gag.

"I'll try to restrain myself."

He dragged me some more, taking me to a door that was covered in anime stickers. There was a metal plaque nailed to it that said "Normies Keep Out!" as well as another, slightly larger one that said "No Mammons allowed!"

"This room belongs to our third brother, Leviathan, or Levi for short." Mammon explained as I finally managed to remove my wrist from his grip. "He rarely, if ever, comes out of his room, so I doubt you'll ever really meet him. Also, he never lets anyone in his room, so don't expect to see it."

"Sounds familiar. Is everyone in this family so uptight about their rooms?"

Mammon ignored the question. That was when I caught the scent of old books from the next door down. It reminded me of the smell of a library, something that made me feel quite nostalgic for home. I followed the inviting aroma, reaching the fourth door down the hall.

"Is this the library?" I asked, hoping the answer to be yes.

"No, this is Satan's room," Mammon corrected. "He collects musty old books. The rarer and more obscure, the better. Honestly, I could sell a handful of those books on Akuzon and make enough Grimm to last me a lifetime, and he just hoards them all in his room. It doesn't make any sense!"

"Clearly you aren't a reader," I muttered.

We moved on down the hallway, the smell of rosewater overpowering the scent of books. Classical piano music filtered through an ornately painted door covered in delicate flowers and golden flecks.

"Let me guess, Asmo's room?"

"Right on the nose. I still don't know how he convinced Lucifer to let him paint his door. I had to almost _beg_ him for my much cooler decorations."

I glanced back at Mammon's door, then once more at Asmo's. I then just gave a silent nod and kept moving, opting to avoid the conversation altogether. We approached the sixth room, which didn't seem to have anything special about its door. There were no overwhelming scents or decorations to take note of, which surprised me.

"Whose room is this?" I questioned.

"Beel's."

I waited for further explanation, but got nothing. Instead, Mammon just stepped over to the final room down the hallway. It was the one right next to the other set of stairs, meaning we had made one very large circle.

"And this is your room," he announced, grasping the handle and pushing the door open. "It's not much, but it's yours."

I stepped into the room, my eyes going wide at the sight of it. The room itself was the size of my apartment, soft carpets covering the hardwood floors. Ivy and other plants lined the walls, making the room feel like I was in a large garden. An ornate desk was tucked up against the wall, a stack of books I could only assume were my text books piled on top of it. A large skylight filtered in the moonlight from above, stained glass lanterns lighting up what the stars did not. A queen sized bed was situated underneath the skylight, the frame looking like it was made from some of the thicker vines. It had more pillows than I could count and a comforter that was a soft lilac, one of my favorite colors.

"This..." I put my hands over my mouth in disbelief. "This is my room?"

"Sheesh, are you deaf? I just said it was yours. You better not be trying to weasel your way into a bigger room."

"No, no!" I quickly held up my hands. "This room is perfect, I promise."

"Good," Mammon nodded towards a large wardrobe partially covered in vines. "Your spare uniforms and stuff are in there, your bathroom's through the door to the left, and if you need anything, good luck."

He promptly turned on his heels and walked out of the room, closing the door behind him a little harder than necessary. I let him leave, still taking in the full scope of my room. I took the opportunity to take a look at my new wardrobe, finding two more uniforms identical to the one I wore now, as well as some casual attire that I'm certain was taken from my closet back home. I even found the pajamas I had been in, carefully cleaned, folded, and placed in a drawer with a couple nightgowns the same lilac color of my sheets.

Closing the wardrobe, I walked back over to my massive bed, a smile forming on my lips as I approached. It seemed even bigger with each step, and I could not suppress the childish urge to jump on it. I twirled on my heel and fell backward, flopping onto the bed with a soft plop. The bed seemed to form around me, as if beckoning into its satin embrace. I was just about to succumb when a shout rang out from down the hall.

"MAMMON!"

I jolted out of bed, scrambling for the door. I poked my head out, looking down the hall to see Mammon being cornered by a new face. It was a boy with pale skin and blue hair styled in a bowl cut. He wore the RAD uniform as well, a dark bluish-purple tie hanging around his neck. He was a few inches shorter than Mammon, but his entire form was shaking with rage.

"Levi..." Mammon greeted with fear tinged surprise, "I thought you were still asleep."

I exited my room, approaching the duo as Mammon glanced over. Upon seeing me approach, he dashed to my side, grabbing and pulling me over.

"Human, you're just in time to meet Leviathan!" He declared a bit louder than necessary, situating me between him and his irate brother. "Levi, Belle, Belle, this is Levi, the Avatar of Envy. He's the third oldest of us and-"

"Mammon, give me back my money," Levi interjected, pushing me aside to face Mammon once more. "Do it now, then crawl in a hole and die."

"Come on, I told you I'd get it to you! I just need a little more time." Mammon had the expression of someone attempting to talk down a bookie. "...And you still want me to die even after I return it? That's harsh, Levi!"

"You need _a little_ more time? How much more?"

"A little more, okay? A little more means a little more!"

"You've been telling me that for the last _200 years,_ Mammon!"

"200 years?!" I exclaimed.

"It has not been 200 years, Levi. It's been 260, get it right!"

"That's even worse!" Levi shrieked.

"Wow Mammon." I gave Mammon a look of disgust, "you really are a piece of shit."

"Yeah, yeah, I'm scum, a lowlife, a waste of space. Heard it all before, human! Come back to me when you have some original insults."

"Seriously Mammon, just give me back my money," Levi sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I need it to buy the Blu-Ray box set of 'Journey to the Devildom: The Tale of a Little She-Devil and Her Reluctant Companion'. The initial round of copies includes promotional tickets to a live event as a special bonus."

I let out a soft whistle. Being a fan of anime myself, I could understand Levi's excitement and desire for this special promotion. Mammon, on the other hand, did not.

"I've got no idea what you're even talking about, Levi, but it doesn't matter! I don't have the money to give you, so how can I pay you back, huh?!"

"Oh, here we go again!" Levi threw his hands in the air. "More excuses! Why am I not surprised?!"

"You wanna go, Levi? Bring it on!"

I looked between the two demons, wondering if this was actually about to come to blows. However, it didn't. Instead, Mammon merely shoved me towards Levi, then bolted for his room. By the time the two of us had recovered, Mammon had slammed the door to his room shut, the sound of a deadbolt being locked reaching our ears. Levi gently pushed me away from him, adjusting his jacket before glaring at Mammon's door.

"That ass..." he shook his head. "He just used you as a distraction to get away from me. Though I suppose a sacrifice would be a better word."

"Trust me, it's not the first time," I said as I fixed my own tunic. "He tried to shove me onto Asmo and Beel before Lucifer threatened him."

"And you just let him do it? That's not very smart."

"Hey, I wasn't exactly given a choice." I pointed at myself. "I've spent most of today being pushed around, poked, dragged, and talked down to."

Levi sighed.

"Typical humans, so quick to-" He cut off, looking up at me with an expression I couldn't quite read. "Wait a second… Humans… Yes, that's it! Are you free right now? Of course you are. Come with me!"

He turned towards his room, opening the door and going inside. I stood there for a moment, confused beyond words. After a few seconds, Levi stuck his head out of his room, looking right at me.

"Come on!"

The call propelled me towards the room, which I could only describe as an otaku's paradise. There were posters of various animes lining the walls, shelves of games, DVDs, and different figurines all across the room. One wall was nothing but a massive bookcase filled with manga books and video game guides. There was also a series of thick hardback books the size of encyclopedias dubbed 'The Tale of the Seven Lords'. A triple-screen computer set up was situated in the corner, a custom made keyboard and mouse situated in front of it. A massive flat screen was next to it, every video game console known to man and some that weren't attached to it. The one thing in the room that stood out the most was a large fish tank, one that took up an entire wall in and of itself, and yet only contained a single goldfish.

As I took stock of the large room, Levi carefully scanned the hallway, as if searching for anyone that may be listening in. He then closed the door behind him, letting out a sigh of relief as he did. I looked at him curiously as he did that, raising an eyebrow.

"What was that for?" I questioned.

"What do you think? Imagine if someone saw me inviting _you_ into my room! A _human_ who doesn't even look like an otaku, a _normie_! Do you have any idea what people would say?"

"Wait, you're afraid of a little gossip?"

That seemed to catch Levi off guard. He turned red, hiding his face behind a hand.

"Of… of c-c-c… of c-c-course not! Th… Th-that's crazy! There's room in my heart for only one person, and she's animated! I'll always stay faithful to my dear sweet Ruri-chan, always!"

"Ruri-chan?" I raised an eyebrow, more than a little weirded out. "You're not just an otaku, you're a full blown _hikikomori._ "

"Exactly! So why would people gossip?! I mean, me and some non-otaku? Some Normie? And not only that, a _three dimensional_ one in the real world?! It's insane, that's what it is!"

Now feeling more than a little weirded out by the anime-obsessed demon before me, I turned away to try and find something to occupy my attention. My eyes returned to the hardback books on the book case, locking on one in particular. It was titled, 'The Lord of Shadow Awakens'. Levi noticed my interest and I swear he started sparkling.

"Are you a fan of 'The Tale of the Seven Lords'?"

"Sorry, I've never heard of it. What's it about?"

Levi stumbled backwards, stuttering in disbelief.

"You've never… never heard of… HOW?! How could you not have heard of TSL?!"

"I just haven't." I shrugged. "It does sound interesting though."

"Oh, it is far beyond interesting. It's a series of fantasy novels written by Christopher Peugeot. It's a heroic epic spanning 138 volumes, and it's the most widely-read fantasy series in the world! There are even theatrical versions, an animated series, and featured films too. It's even been translated into a total of 182 different languages."

"Okay," I nodded. "That is rather impressive."

"The 1990s theatrical version was an utter disaster, owing to the fact that they added several characters that were _not_ present in the original manuscript. At the time, I was like, 'this producer totally needs to crawl into a hole and die!' but then the 2015 version came out, and it was _amazing_! Better than amazing! If you ask me, it showed that needlessly cramming a female lead in there alongside Henry was a bad idea. That's not what he needs. What he _needs_ is a friend who really understands him, and the 2015 version proved that."

I just nodded along, attempting to look like I was paying attention. He'd already lost me, but I figured at least pretending I was still listening would be a good idea.

"Also, the most vital element of the story is that each of the seven lords is so unique. They're all so interesting in their own peculiar way. That's what makes TSL so great! The lords are all brothers, the oldest being the Lord of Corruption. He doesn't come across as being so bad at first, but he's always plotting and planning in secret. The second oldest is the Lord of Fools, a scumbag who'll do anything for money. The third oldest is called the Lord of Shadow, a brooding recluse. The fourth oldest is the Lord of Masks. He masquerades as a high-status, upstanding member of society, but underneath it all, he's an inhumane monster. The fifth oldest, the Lord of Lechery, only ever thinks of sex. The sixth oldest is the Lord of Flies, and he only ever thinks of food. Then, there's the seventh lord, the youngest called the Lord of Emptiness. He's weird… you never know what's running through his head."

This particular part of Levi's rant actually got my attention again. I thought back to my introductions to the brothers, comparing them to the lords in Levi's books. To my surprise, there were several correlations between these seven lords and the brothers. The Lord of Emptiness was still a mystery to me though, especially since I had yet to meet a seventh brother. I knew there was one, considering there were seven sins and only six were accounted for.

"Everyone seems to like the oldest lord, the Lord of Corruption, the best. Everyone always talks about how great he is. But not me. I like the third lord way more."

"That makes a lot of sense honestly," I remarked.

"Of course, I like Henry too," Levi went on, seemingly unaware I had even spoken. "He's the protagonist. He's almost as great as the third lord. The second lord is total scum, a hopeless degenerate that leads a life extravagance and indulgence. He's always causing trouble for the third lord. He's got these magical gold pigs that can give birth to solid gold piglets, and he treasures them above all else. So, Henry goes and talks to the pigs, and using his wits and powers of persuasion, he convinces them to leave with him. Then, he leads every last one of them away, and presents them to the third lord as a gift! Wow… I mean, they're _such good friends_ you can almost feel it! It's enough to make you cry!"

I was right back to nodding along.

"Oh, and then there's that one really awesome moment when the two of them realize they both like and respect each other, and they high-five! I just love that part, you know? I wish I could have a moment like that."

His excitement trailed off and he seemed to grow somewhat remorseful. I focused my attention again, giving him a sympathetic look as he continued once more.

"...I wish I could be like the third lord. I may be a recluse like him, but we're totally different, because he's got an amazing friend like Henry."

He walked over to the massive fish tank, leaning against the glass. The lone goldfish inside swam over to the glass, as if coming to Levi's aid. Levi pressed his hand lovingly against the glass with a sigh.

"The closest I have is Henry, my precious goldfish. I love TSL so much I couldn't help naming him after the main character. But I can't really high five a goldfish, can I?"

"No, I guess you can't."

"The original author of TSL, Christopher Peugeot, he's actually a human, you know? That's why I'm so jealous of you guys." He hung his head, his voice becoming envious. "Humans are so lucky. You've got subscription services that let you watch your favorite anime anytime, you can go to Akihabara whenever you want-"

"Akiha-what?" I tried to ask.

"Why do only you guys get to experience all the good stuff?" Levi whined, not hearing my question. "I mean, humans' whole concept of pleasure originally came from us demons, you know? We gave it to you. So, why can't we have a little of that back now, huh? I want to be able to go to a Japanese maid cafe, too. I want to hear the maids welcome me as if I'm the master of the house, to have them draw ketchup hearts on my fried rice omelet, to experience the magic of it all. I want to cosplay as Henry, and then go stand in the center of Akihabara, or maybe under that one building in Tokyo that's shaped like upside-down triangles. And once I'm there, I want to perform Henry's super powerful signature finishing move for all to see and say the incantation that goes with it. I want to shout it at the top of my lungs!"

He paused, and for a brief moment, I wondered if he was finally done with his elongated rant.

"...Actually, you know what?" Levi let out, forcing me to suppress a sigh. "I want to _be_ Henry!"

"But, you're not Henry. You're Leviathan."

"I know that. But still, I'm free to fantasize about whatever I want, now aren't I?" Levi snapped before taking a long breath and sinking to the ground. "Guess I've done a little too much talking. My throat hurts."

I walked over to a small mini-fridge that was tucked under the computer desk. I opened it, grabbing a can of soda with a brand name I didn't recognize. I handed it over to Levi, who quickly took it, opened it, and downed the entire can in one swig.

"Better?" I asked.

"Yeah, thanks for the drink." He held the can aloft for a moment, then got back to his feet. "Now, I didn't bring you here to tell you about TSL. I brought you here because Mammon is a complete and utter scumbag."

"Tell me something I don't know."

"How about this? I lent that scumbag money, and now I want him to pay me back. But, being the scumbag he is, he won't do it. I wish I could force him to, but despite what a rotten waste of space he is, Mammon is still the second oldest."

"And as the third oldest, you don't have the power to make him," I surmised. "If that's the case, then why even pick a fight with him? I mean, if you can't win, what's the point?"

"That is a long story, but sure, I'll tell you." I barely suppressed a groan as Levi started up yet another rant. "Once, a long time ago, Mammon won a prize in a convenience store promotional campaign. If you bought something, they'd let you reach into a box and pull out a piece of paper that told you what you won."

"Wow, what kind of convenient stores are down here?"

"Anyway," Levi pressed on, completely ignoring me. "The prize Mammon won was a Seraphina figurine, something I would've died to have. But, despite the fact that Mammon had no interest in it at all, he refused to give it to me."

"Why not?"

"Because I wanted it! That's it! The only reason he kept it was because I wanted it and he said no just to torment me! I mean, how awful is that?!"

I gave a small nod of agreement. It was a rather scummy thing for Mammon to do, and from what I'd seen of him, it didn't seem completely out of character.

"So, I got to thinking," Levi continued, now beginning to pace back and forth as he ranted and raved. "Mammon's gonna end up treating Seraphina like some random piece of junk, that much is a given. I can maybe handle it if he at least leaves her in her original packaging, but what if he actually takes her out of the box?! He might just do it! And if he does, he'll get dust on her, won't he?! That's why I decided I had to save Seraphina, so I snuck into Mammon's room in the middle of the night."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa." I held up my hands in disbelief. "You actually went into Mammon's room? Of your own free will?"

"I had to! I had to save my precious Seraphina!"

"So… what did you find when you went inside?"

"It was horrible," Levi shuddered. "He didn't even take her out of the plastic bag from the convenience store. He'd tossed her onto the floor, _the floor_! He actually left _Seraphina,_ the Queen of the High Elves herself, on the floor of his filthy, disgusting room! Sure she seems cold and prideful at first, but once you get to know her, you find out all she wants is affection, but she doesn't know how to properly express her desires. And Mammon just discarded her like garbage! _How could he?!_ "

He stood there panting for a moment, slowly coming down from the sheer amount of rage that was coursing through him. I just watched, waiting for him to start again while secretly wondering if I should try to make my escape.

"I was so distraught by what I saw that I marched right over to Mammon's bed. I lifted up my leg, then brought my heel down as hard as I could onto his stomach. But the next thing I knew, he wasn't on the bed anymore. I blinked, and he was gone. Before I even had time to react, he grabbed me, picked me up, and slammed me head first onto the ground in a pile driver. And the worst part was that he was _stark naked!_ "

"Okay!" I covered my ears, screwing my eyes shut. "I did not need to hear that part!"

"Whatever," he waved a hand dismissively as I tentatively uncovered my ears. "What I'm trying to get at is that Mammon can't be stopped by force alone, he's too fast. However, if a human were to make a pact with him, he'd be bound to their service. Then, he'd have no choice but to do what was commanded of him. That means you could order him to give me back my money, and Seraphina too!"

"Hang on just a moment," I insisted, taking a step back as I tried to process exactly what Levi was getting at. "What are you talking about? What's a pact?"

"Oh come on, surely you've seen a movie or two with demons in them. The demon lends their strength to a human in exchange for the human's soul."

"Uh-uh, nope." I shook my head violently. "Not gonna happen. I'm not giving up my soul."

"That isn't always necessary. It depends on what's in the pact. But, you do need to give something to the demon to make it worth the exchange, so it's pretty much inevitable."

"Well, I'm not giving up my soul."

"Luckily, when it comes to Mammon, that's not going to be a problem."

"But, why would I even want to make a pact with Mammon? I mean, he's a self-centered asshole that doesn't do anything unless it benefits him."

"Believe me, I understand better than anyone how awful he is, but he's still a powerful demon. Considering your precarious position here, having someone like him under your thumb would be a benefit. He wouldn't be able to push you around anymore, and he'd actually start taking care of you if you commanded it."

I have to admit, the idea did have some merit. The threat of being eaten was still looming over my head, and in his current state, Mammon was certainly going to be more of a burden or a threat than an actual guardian. However, if what Levi said was true, I could make him actually do his job, and from the way Levi was talking, I wouldn't have to give up my soul. Unable to let the chance slip my, I turned back to Levi.

"What do I have to do?"


	3. The Pact

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Belle and Levi work together to get Mammon under their thumb

The first day of school has always been a source of anxiety for me. The first day at a demon academy turned out to be even worse. As I walked through the massive halls of the Hogwarts-esque institution, all eyes were locked on me. Each and every student stopped what they were doing to look me over, their eyes boring holes into me. I shrunk into my tunic, trying to make myself as small as possible. That's when the whispers reached my ears.

"It's her, the other human."

"She's so skinny."

"I heard Mammon's supposed to be babysitting her."

"I wonder how long she'll last before she gets eaten."

"I give it a week."

Just as I was about to start running, an arm slipped around my shoulders. The whispering suddenly cut off and all the stares seemed to drift away from me. I looked over at the owner of the arm, finding myself meeting eyes with a boy with bleach white hair and silver eyes.

"So, we finally meet," He declared, ushering me down the hall. "Isabella Collins, yes?"

"Uh, yeah," I nodded, still trying to process exactly what was going on. "Just Belle is fine though. Who are you?"

"So suspicious," the boy admonished. "Then again, you don't seem to have as much experience with demons as I do. In fact, I daresay you lack any magical talent. Were I in your shoes, I'd be weary too."

His insults grated at me and I dislodged myself from his grip.

"I asked you a question. Who are you?"

"My name is Solomon." He bowed with a small flourish of his right arm. "I'm the other exchange student from the human world. It's nice to finally meet you."

"Really?" I asked, unable to keep the skepticism out of my voice. "You're human. No offense, but all that talk of magic and dealing with demons makes that rather hard to believe."

"Well, I will admit that there are times that even I question my humanity."

"That's not helping your case."

"Alright, alright, let me explain." Solomon gently waved me down before beginning his story. "Long ago, I obtained a ring of wisdom, a gift from a certain someone in a _very_ high position. I ended up getting drunk off its power and used it to form pacts with, uh…" He paused, looking down at his fingers as if counting for a brief moment. "70...71...72 different demons, becoming a wicked sorcerer."

"A sorcerer," I repeated, my voice laced with disbelief. "There's no such thing as sorcerers."

"Just like there's no such thing as demons."

I went to retort, but found myself at a loss for words. After a second, I just growled at him, to which he merely gave me a smug smirk.

"Regardless, I am human. The only difference between you and me is I have the power to defend myself from being eaten."

At that moment, a mournful toll rang out across the building, one that made Solomon perk.

"I do not, however, have a way to prevent us from running late to class. See you around, Belle. Take care of yourself." He waved as he turned to head to class. "Oh, and uh, don't get eaten."

I then scrambled to get to my own class, wondering just how I managed to be the only normal human in this entire realm. However, someone caught me by my arm, stopping me in my tracks. I stiffened, expecting an attempt to eat me. However, my fears were unfounded as I came face to face with the eldest of my host family.

"Good morning Isabella," Lucifer greeted. "You've become quite the celebrity, haven't you?"

"Morning Lucifer. Trust me, it's not on purpose."

"Well, I'm just glad to see you made it through the night without being eaten. Still, there's no guarantee that you'll make it to tomorrow."

I gave Lucifer a deadpan stare.

"Wow, thanks for the vote of confidence," I muttered sarcastically.

I attempted to move past him to continue my way to class.

"Did I see you talking with Solomon?" Lucifer questioned.

I paused, the question catching me off guard. I turned back to him, giving him a confused look.

"Yeah, so what? He's human, isn't he?"

"He is, yes, and I have no qualms against you associating with him. However, he can _n_ _ot_ be trusted." He looked almost angry as he said this. "He may be a mere human, but he has a ring imbued with wisdom-"

"I know," I interjected. "He told me about his ring and how he's a sorcerer. What's the big deal?"

"The 'big deal' is that he is the type of man who will try to subjugate even a powerful, greater demon if he gets the chance."

His mention of subjugation clicked with something in my head. My mind drifted back to my talk with Levi last night, and our discussion on how to get Mammon to make a pact with me.

…

" _Lucifer has something Mammon wants, something he'd kill to get," Levi informed me. "His credit card."_

" _Hold on, someone actually gave Mammon a credit card?" I snorted loudly, covering my mouth to hide a chuckle. "Man, he must have maxed that sucker out pretty quickly."_

" _Oh yes, Mammon is beyond dependent on that thing. He called it his 'one true love', slept with it, and I think he even named it. He treated it like it was a woman or something." I recoiled at the imagery, letting out a shudder as Levi continued. "Eventually, Lucifer got completely and utterly sick of Mammon's behavior and confiscated it. There's nothing Mammon wouldn't do if it meant getting his credit card back."_

" _So if I find out where Lucifer hid Mammon's credit card, I can use that as a bartering chip to get Mammon to make a pact with me?"_

" _Exactly!" Levi clapped his hands together before throwing them in the air. "There's hope for you after all, human."_

" _Belle, and how would I go about finding the card?"_

" _You'll need to ask Lucifer where he hid it, but you can't make it too obvious that you're looking for it. You've got to be subtle, like it happened to come up naturally. Make sure you do a good job, or else!"_

…

"Speaking of powerful demons, I was wondering if you would be willing to tell me more about Mammon." I kept my voice casual, channeling every ounce of annoyance and contempt I felt for the demon into my words. "He's been incredibly unhelpful and had continuously ignored me or pushed me around. I was hoping you'd be willing to give me some insight on his character so I could better deal with… well, deal with him."

Lucifer looked surprised by my request, but it was short lived. He gave a small nod, then rubbed his chin in thought.

"Well, Mammon is my brother. I don't want to speak ill of him, so I'll try to be sparing in my criticism." He let out a small cough before crossing his arms. "He's pure scum. The scummiest sort of scum. Pure, unfiltered, disgusting scum to the point that I'm embarrassed to call him a fellow demon, much less my brother."

I was more than a little shocked by the amount of hate directed towards Mammon, especially considering this was supposed to be 'sparing' criticism.

"Wow..." I gave a slow nod as I recovered from my shock. "Tell me how you really feel."

"I believe I've expressed my feelings quite well as is."

"Right, right." I held up a hand. "What I don't get is how you're able to deal with him so easily. Do you have some sort of blackmail on him, or do you just know what his Achilles heel is?"

"I suppose both would be the appropriate answer. He has one rather prevalent weakness, one I have seized and frozen."

Before I could ask for any further details, the mournful toll rang out once more and I realized that it was the warning bell for class to start. I cursed under my breath.

"The bell, I gotta go!"

"Yes, you don't want to be late on your first day here."

He walked off towards his class and I rushed towards mine, just barely making it before class started.

…

I made it through my first day of classes without any major upsets. I continuously attempted to find seats in the back, figuring the less attention I drew to myself, the better. Occasionally, I succeeded. Other times, not so much. Still, I didn't get eaten, and I was still in one piece. I returned to the House of Lamentation, laying down on my bed and trying to sleep.

Unfortunately, sleep was not on the table for me tonight. Something unexpected kept nagging at my thoughts: the seventh brother. No one had said anything about a seventh brother, but it was easy to figure out. After all, there were seven sins, and I had only met six Avatars. The seventh brother, the mysterious Avatar of Sloth, had yet to show himself.

Before I could think any more on the seventh brother, my D.D.D. began to chime. I rolled over on my bed, snagging the D.D.D. off the nightstand and taking a look.

**L3V1: You awake?**

I let out a soft groan before answering.

**Tinker Belle: Yeah, can't sleep.**

**L3V1: Did you learn anything about Mammon's credit card?**

**Tinker Belle: Only that Lucifer froze it. Doesn't surprise me honestly. If I was in his shoes, I'd freeze it too.**

Levi didn't answer for a while, so I set my D.D.D. down. I adjusted my pillows so I could have a pyramid of cushions to lean on, sitting up as I reconfigured my blankets and picked up my D.D.D. again. By the time I finished this, Levi had messaged me back.

**L3V1: You're absolutely sure that's what he said? He froze the credit card?**

**Tinker Belle: Yes, I'm absolutely sure.**

There was another brief moment of respite between messages before Levi sent his next one.

**L3V1: Come to the kitchen. Right now.**

I looked at the D.D.D. in confusion as another message popped up.

**L3V1: Don't tell anyone what you're doing. I don't want anyone mistakenly thinking I like hanging out with some human normie.**

I was tempted to send him a message reminding him it was the middle of the night, but I decided against it. With a grunt of reluctance, I threw off my covers and got out of bed, grabbing one of the thinner blankets and wrapping it around myself. I slipped out of my room, my bare feet padding lightly on the wood floors as I made my way to the kitchen.

...

As I pushed the doors to the kitchen open, I was met with the sound of munching and slurping. Everything was pitch black, save for a lone figure illuminated by the light of the open refrigerator. I approached the figure carefully, clutching my blanket tightly around me.

"Hello?"

The figure straightened up sharply, choking on whatever they were eating. They grabbed their throat, stumbling back as they coughed and wheezed, attempting to regain control of their breathing. This allowed me to finally get a good look at the figure, who revealed himself to be Beelzebub.

He was no longer dressed in the uniform, in fact, he seemed to be half dressed. Completely lacking in the shirt department, and showing off a _very_ well sculpted chest, all Beel was wearing was a pair of fleece pajama pants covered in emoji food symbols.

"Don't scare me like that! I almost choked to death!"

"Sorry, sorry." My eyes were locked firmly on his chest and I was certain my face was several deep shades of crimson.

"What are you even doing down here?"

"Got the munchies," I shrugged. "Came down to get a snack."

Beel beamed at me, his entire face lighting up like a kid in a candy store.

"Well, that makes two of us. The others don't understand that when you get hungry in the middle of the night, you can't just wait until morning. Unfortunately, the fridge is empty. I ate everything in there."

I nodded along absentmindedly, my mind drifting back to the seventh brother. Mammon had been quite hesitant to mention anything about Beel's room, leading me to believe that perhaps there was more to it. The fact was that there were only seven bedrooms, including my own, so maybe Beel shared his room with the Avatar of Sloth.

"Hey Beel, can I ask you something?"

"Sure." He was still beaming happily. "What do you want to know?"

"You're all Avatars of the Seven Deadly Sins, right? Pride, Greed, Envy, Wrath, Lust, Gluttony, and Sloth. I've met the first six, but not Sloth. Who is he?"

Beel's grin dropped in an instant, his face becoming hard and his eyes grew cold. He grabbed me by the arms, looking me dead in the eye.

"Listen to me, Belle." His voice was low, reminding me of a hungry bear. "Don't _ever_ mention him in front of Lucifer, got it? I'm not going to tell you anything either because Lucifer would yell at me if I did. Don't bother asking any of the others either. They won't talk about _him_."

The anger in his voice seemed to devolve into a deep sadness the more he spoke, a longing look in his eye. His grip on my arms loosened until his hands were just resting on my shoulders.

"… Even though he's our brother… we have to act like he doesn't exist. It isn't right. But, since no one can defy Lucifer..." He let me go, straightening up and facing me properly. "You know what? It's none of your business. I've lost my appetite, so I'm going back to bed and I suggest you do the same."

He walked off after that, the doors swinging closed behind him. I watched him go, my mind now swimming with even more questions than before. Why had Lucifer banned all talk of the seventh brother? Why did Beel look completely heartbroken? Just what was going on in the House of Lamentation?

"Psst."

I blinked, looking around in confusion.

"Hello?"

"Over here!" a voice hissed from the direction of the pantry. "Look!"

I looked over at the massive pantry, where I could see a figure hiding inside, peeking through the crack in the door. I walked over, opening the door to reveal Levi. Like Beel, he was clad in pajamas, his consisting of a t-shirt covered in images of a beautiful anime woman in skimpy armor. A pair of dark blue shorts completed the ensemble.

"What are you doing in the pantry?" I wondered.

"I was hiding from Beel, that's what!" Levi hissed, still keeping his voice down. "I couldn't let him see me with you, now could I?"

I opened my mouth to retort, but Levi cut me off.

"So, it's really true, right? Lucifer definitely used the word 'Frozen'."

"Yes, as in froze his assets. It's a common thing to do. Why did that merit dragging me into the kitchen in the middle of the night?"

"Because I believe that Lucifer hid Mammon's credit card in here."

Now I was completely confused.

"You're not making any sense, Levi."

Levi just growled, then marched out of the pantry and over to the fridge.

"He put it in the freezer, human."

There was a moment of confused silence as I tried to process Levi's train of thought. The more I did, the less it made sense.

"You think Lucifer… froze Mammon's card… by literally freezing it?"

Levi ignored my question. Instead, he opened the freezer and began rummaging through it. I moved in behind him, watching as he began listing off the contents.

"Crap ton of ice, but no card… an ice cream Satan hid from Beel about a century ago." He let out a single chuckle. "Bet it'll be another 2000 year before he remembers it's here, but no card."

"Levi, it's not there." I rubbed my face and shook my head. "Seriously, Lucifer's probably got it hidden in his room somewhere, not stash in the-"

"Wait!" Levi interjected, causing me to jump. "There's something behind the ice."

He pushed bits of ice aside, several pieces falling to the ground as he did. He then pulled out a large block of ice with a black credit card stuck right in the center of it. I just stared at the lump of ice in complete and utter disbelief.

"Okay… He actually did freeze it… Literally"

"Yeah, this thing's so big…" Levi grunted as he struggled to hold the encased card, "and so heavy..."

He dropped it on the counter, the massive ice block sliding slightly on the metal surface as the two of us looked at card in the middle.

"So..." I drummed my hands on the counter. "How do we get it out of the ice? Big ice pick? Blow dryer?"

"Nah that would take too long." Levi grabbed the ice once more. "Will you open the microwave for me?"

I nodded, walking over to the microwave situated in the wall. I opened the door and Levi slid the ice inside, knocking the door closed with a loud clack.

"Two minutes on auto should do the trick." he punched in the numbers before hitting the start button. "Let the defrosting commence!"

Just before he could start it, the door was thrown open by a half asleep Mammon wandering in. Both Levi and I jumped at the sound of him entering. He was clad in only a white t-shirt and a pair of golden basketball shorts, his hair sticking up in every direction from obvious bedhead.

"Sheesh, what's with all the racket you two?" He let out a yawn before fully taking note of what was going on. "Hey, wait a minute! In the microwave… is that-?"

He rushed over, looking through the window of the microwave at the massive ice block and the contents within it. His face broke out in a massive grin as he almost began jumping up and down.

"That's Goldie, my credit card! My baby! The one thing more important to me than life itself!" He turned to me and Levi in an instant. "Get it out of there before the microwave demagnetizes it and makes it useless!"

I cursed, instantly hitting the end button on the microwave. It stopped its defrost cycle and I opened the door, grabbing the now much smaller ice chunk. It wasn't nearly as heavy as before and I could hold it much easier now. I was fairly certain that if I dropped the ice, it would shatter easily and free its plastic prisoner.

"I can't believe you two!" Mammon exclaimed. "How could you do something so stupid?! You're both as dumb as stumps, ya know that?!"

Levi just smirked, crossing his arms and getting a, pun unintended, devilish look in his eyes.

"Hmm, are you sure you should be talking to us like that, Mammon?"

I matched his expression, adjusting my grip on the ice block.

"Yeah Mammon, after all, we're the ones who found your credit card." I couldn't help but smirk at the look of surprise and betrayal on Mammon's face. "If you want it back, you're going to have to listen to our demands."

" _D-d-d-demands?!_ " Mammon was red with anger until he realized just what kind of predicament he was in. "I mean… Right, demands. Leviathan, Hu-... Belle, go on and tell me what you want of me."

Levi began laughing, unable to hold it back.

"Wow, this is just embarrassing." Levi turned to me, still snickering. "I can't believe all it took to make 'The Mammon' abandon his pride was holding his beloved credit card hostage!"

"Hey Mammon," I called out, getting the demon's attention. "On your knees."

Mammon's eyes became the size of dinner plates as he opened his mouth to object. I simply adjusted my grip on the ice once more and his mouth snapped shut. He dropped to his knees, glaring daggers at me the entire time.

"Lower," Levi chimed in.

Mammon growled, but lowered himself further, planting his hands on the ground and bowing his head before us. I completely lost it at that.

"Look at this!" I cackled, nearly doubling over in laughter. "One of the esteemed members of the student council bowing before his younger brother and a mere human!"

"Honestly, Mammon," Levi tsked, shaking his head in mocking disappointment, "you should be ashamed of yourself."

Mammon didn't get up, as if afraid of angering us and losing his chance to get his precious credit card back. He did, however, lift his head to face us, his cheeks a deep crimson hue from embarrassment.

"Is this all you want from me? To humiliate me?"

"No, we're just getting started," Levi informed him. "My demand is that you give me the Seraphina figurine you won at the convenience store."

"The what now?" Mammon asked in clear confusion. "What're ya talkin' about? When did I win something like that?"

Levi's jovial manner suddenly became dark and bitter.

"I don't believe this!" He threw his hands in the air in disbelief. "You forgot you even had her?! How could you?!"

"Look, if I have something like that somewhere, you can have it!" Mammon promised, his hands tightening into fists on the ground. "Just give me back my credit card!"

"Hold on," I warned. "I haven't told you my demand yet."

"Sure, sure, whatever you want, just name it!"

"Make a pact with me."

"Yeah, sure, whatever you-" He cut off, as if finally registering what I was asking. "Wait, _what?!_ Why d'ya want _me_ to make a _pact_ with _YOU?!_ "

"Let's see," I scooped the ice chunk into one arm so I could begin listing my reasons on my fingers. "You'll have to do whatever you're told, I'll be able to get you to actually do your job of watching over me, and I'll be one step closer to fulfilling my assignment for my exchange."

"Plus, she can order you to give me the money you owe me," Levi added. "Since you won't be able to refuse a direct order, you'll have no choice but to obey. Game over, we win."

Mammon straightened up, his face a mask of anger as he rose to his feet.

"So let me get this straight. You went through all this trouble, hunting down _my_ credit card and roping this human into making a pact with me… all for a little money? I can't believe this, Levi!"

"Excuse me?" Levi crossed his arms again. "Need I remind you which one of us was just prostrating themselves before us just to get his hand on a _credit card_?"

"Oh shut up, Levi!" He then turned to me. "And you! You realize Levi's just using you, right?"

"Maybe, but I still benefit from this deal," I shrugged. "Now, make a pact with me."

"Uh-uh!" He shook his head violently, stepping back while holding his hands up in a warding off gesture. "No way! Not interested! I am the Great Mammon, Avatar of Greed, one of the seven rulers of the Devildom! Do you actually think I'd let some _human_ be the boss of me?"

Levi and I exchanged looks, grinned at the same time, and then nodded.

"Oh Lucifer!" I shouted, my voice like that of a little kid tattling on their naughty siblings. "Mammon's unfreezing his credit card!"

Mammon hastily changed his tune.

"I mean, of course, I'll make a pact with you, human! I'd be thrilled to!"

Levi pumped his fist, then took the ice block from my arm. I shook my now freezing arm, divesting it of the cold water covering it and trying to get feeling back in the limb. Once I was finished, I turned to Mammon.

"So, how do we do this?"

"Take Mammon's hand," Levi instructed, waiting until I did so before continuing. "Mammon, I do believe you know the oath by heart now, considering the number of pacts you've made with witches."

Mammon growled, but began the oath.

"I am Mammon, Avatar of Greed. I..." he tightened his grip on my hand, forcing himself to continue, "pledge myself to you, Isabella Collins, that we may be bound by an… unbreakable pact. This I swear to you on both my name and the very blood that runs through my veins."

Our clasped hands began to glow in golden light, one that swirled around our wrists for several seconds. The light then hardened, becoming golden bracelets on both of us. Mammon's was a solid ring of gold while mine possessed a strange golden charm dangling off of it. The charm was shaped almost like a sun, one that was hovering over a star. Releasing Mammon's hand, I examined the bracelet now on my wrist. I gave it a tug, finding it too small to remove, yet loose enough that it rested comfortably. Mammon examined his own bracelet, seemingly letting out a sigh.

"Well, at least it's not a tattoo this time," he muttered.

"What do you mean?" I questioned.

"Those bracelets are physical representations of your pact," Levi clarified. "It manifests differently, depending on who's making the pact. I'm certain that as you make more and more pacts, more charms will appear on your bracelet."

"Oh, cool."

"Yeah, yeah, very cool," Mammon spoke dryly as he tugged slightly at the bracelet. "Can I go now?"

"Uh-uh." Levi wagged his finger. "There's still the matter of my Seraphina figurine and my money."

"Ugh." Mammon flopped dramatically onto a chair. "Can't that wait until morning?"

Levi turned to me and I crossed my arms.

"Mammon, give Levi his figurine, and his money. Now."

Mammon suddenly bolted out of the chair, as if something had kicked him out of it. He then began marching off towards the kitchen, much to his chagrin.

"Hey, hey, hey!" He shouted. "What the hell?!"

"She gave you a direct order, Mammon," Levi reminded him. "Just be a good little demon and give me what I want, then we can all go to bed."

Mammon grumbled under his breath as he marched off, Levi following behind him with a massive grin on his face. I watched them go, then took another look at the bracelet on my wrist. I played with the charm for a moment, a smile slowly sprouting on my face.

"I could get used to this."


	4. The Aftermath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Belle deals with the aftermath of her pact with Mammon, meets some more classmates, and discovers a mystery to be uncovered...

At breakfast the very next day, Mammon did everything he could to hide his new bracelet. Unfortunately for him, his behavior was an instant red flag for Lucifer, who quickly found the source of his brother's anxiety. Upon realizing the bracelet was solid gold, he'd demanded to know where Mammon had purchased it. The threat of a beating spurred Mammon to admit he'd made a pact with me, to which Asmodeus erupted into laughter.

"Asmodeus," Satan admonished. "Keep your voice down. Do you want to have Mammon bitching and moaning all day?"

"Oh come on, Satan, how can you _not_ laugh after hearing that?" Asmo leaned over, patting me on the back. "Our little Belle managed to play Mammon like a fiddle and force him into a pact."

Satan cracked a smile, a small laugh escaping his lips.

"See?" Asmo gestured to Satan. "I hear you laughing."

"I must admit, I'm quite impressed you outfoxed Mammon and forged a pact with him," Lucifer spoke up, a smile on his face. "Your opponent may have been an ignorant dimwit, but even so, well done."

"Thanks," I said softly, blushing a bit from all the praise.

"I imagine Diavolo will be pleased as well," Lucifer went on. "We'll continue to expect big things from you."

Beel remained oblivious to the conversation, stuffing his face with an entire bowl of steak and eggs. He would occasionally moan in delight, muttering praise for the taste of the food and completely ignoring the drama going around. Mammon just pulled the sleeve of his uniform over his bracelet as Asmo turned his attention to me. He took my hand, looking at the bracelet on my wrist before taking the charm in his fingers.

"How _did_ you pull it off? I never would have thought an average human could make a pact with one of the Seven Lords, much less _this_ quickly."

"Levi gave me the idea," I admitted as Mammon snarled into his breakfast. "He helped me find Mammon's weakness and taught me how to do the Pact ritual."

"So, this was a combined effort of you and Levi?" Satan questioned. "Now _that_ is impressive."

"I'm just happy to have rescued Seraphina from Mammon's room, and that I finally got my money back," Levi spoke up. "That Blu-ray box set and promotional tickets are so gonna be mine. Epic win for Leviathan!"

He threw his hands in the air in a "V for Victory" pose, smiling from ear to ear. As he sat back down to resume eating, Asmo turned to me with a flirtatious smile.

"So not only did you make a pact with Mammon, but you managed to win over Levi? Way to go, human."

Levi choked on his eggs, turning red as he coughed. He recovered quickly, glaring at Asmo with embarrassed rage.

"Excuse me?! Don't go getting the wrong idea. Nobody 'won me over'! Our interests just happened to align, that's all! The relationship was purely _business_! I mean, why would I want anything to do with some non-otaku _normie_ of a human?! I wouldn't! I mean, I'm spoken for! I'm no cheater! M-m-my one true love is-!"

"Cheeseburgers!" Beel suddenly shouted, lifting his fork in the air.

Satan, Asmo and I all started snickering as Levi turned several more shades of red. Mammon just kept his eyes glued on his plate, trying to avoid everyone's gaze. Lucifer just looked tired, pinching the bridge of his nose and walking out of the room, no doubt to get some peace and quiet.

"No!" Levi groaned, face palming hard. "That's _your_ one true love, Beel!"

"Mmm, I get hungry just thinking about them." He scooped up another hearty bite of steak and eggs, shoveling them into his mouth.

Levi gave up after that, flopping onto the table and letting out a long, pained moan. Asmo finished snickering, turning back to me and wrapping an arm seductively around me.

"You know, the way things are going, the rest of us might just find ourselves in a pact with you as well if we're not careful." His flirtatious grin returned as he brushed a lock of brown hair from his eyes. "If you had to choose, which one of us would you forge a pact with next?"

I looked among the brothers, genuinely giving it some thought. I immediately ruled out Lucifer. Considering his clear animosity with Solomon, attempting to form a pact with him would probably be a suicide mission. Levi would be an interesting demon to make a pact with, but he was beyond obsessed with his otaku image that it bordered on psychotic obsession. I didn't know much about Satan, aside from his love of books. Being an avid reader, having him in a pact wouldn't be so bad. I'm almost certain we would have a lot to talk about. Asmo was hard to read, but his narcissism grated at my nerves, and I was certain he'd be almost unbearable if he was in a pact with me. Finally, there was Beel. He seemed the easiest to handle, considering the only thing on his mind was food. If anything, I could bribe him with food to get him into the pact, and then I wouldn't have to worry about him potentially eating me.

"I'd probably have to say Beel," I finally decided.

"Count me out," Beel announced before giving the idea some thought. "Although, if you made sure I always had tons and tons of food, as much as I could eat, then I'd consider it."

He then reached over to my plate, taking one of the pieces of bacon and eating it in one bite. Satan took note of this and shook his head.

"Beel, stop taking food off other people's plates!"

"Well, no matter who you choose, you won't be able to tame us as easily as you did Mammon," Asmo warned, growing serious. "In fact, it's quite offensive of you to think that we're as stupid as that poor excuse of a demon."

"Whoa, hang on!" I exclaimed, dislodging myself from Asmo's grip. "When did I ever say that? You guys are nothing like Mammon. I mean, he's garbage incarnate, but the rest of you at least have some common sense and courtesy."

Suddenly, a hand collided with the back of my head hard, nearly knocking me into the table. I yelped, rubbing the back of my head as I turned back to the culprit. I wasn't surprised to see it was Mammon, who was on his feet and glaring at me with sheer hatred.

"What the hell, Mammon?!" I exclaimed. "What was that for?!"

"That was for calling me garbage incarnate, human!" He turned to his brothers. "Honestly, I should be smacking each and every one of ya for talkin' bad about me. Y'all think you're _so_ great."

"It's not that we think we're so great, we just think you're inferior simpleton and a poor excuse for a demon," Satan spoke up, taking a sip of his tea.

"That's even worse!" Mammon shrieked. "Don't treat me like I'm stupid!"

"I'm afraid that's one thing that's never going to change," Satan informed him, swirling the contents of his tea cup.

"Nope," Asmo beamed.

Beel just reached over to where Mammon was sitting, stealing his bacon as well and eating it. Levi laughed at that as Mammon just let out a roar of outrage.

"I hate each and every one of you!" He then flopped back onto his chair, crossing his arms bitterly. "This is all Lucifer's fault! If he hadn't kidnapped Goldie against her will, none of this would have happened!"

Asmo rolled his eyes.

"Will you please stop referring to your credit card as if it were a person?"

"Yeah, it's more than a little creepy," I admitted.

"Both of you, shut up!" Mammon snapped. "Also, I can't believe that when he said he froze Goldie, he meant that _literally_! Who sticks a credit card in the freezer?! What's up with that?! Was it supposed to be some sorta dad joke?! Cause if so, it was awfully lame!"

At that moment, Lucifer returned to the dining room, approaching the table from behind Mammon. Upon hearing his brother's remarks, he crossed his arms. Me and the rest of the table got panicked looks on our faces, which Mammon remained oblivious to.

"Eh, guess maybe I shoulda expected somethin' like that from him. I mean, he may not be a dad, but he's pretty old, isn't he? Guess I shouldn't be surprised he's a fan of dad jokes."

He then began laughing loudly and obnoxiously. It began petering out as he finally took notice of our faces. His face became filled with dread and his body tensed.

"He's right behind me, isn't he?"

The rest of the brothers and I nodded as Mammon slowly turned around. He promptly screamed, and then fell out of his chair with a hard thud. He sat up, rubbing his head from where he fell.

"Ow! Hey, what's the big idea?!"

Asmo shook his head, closing his eyes and resting his fingers delicately on his forehead.

"Mammon, you are so stupid that it's almost sad."

Satan nodded in agreement.

"I can't believe he's actually our brother. It's almost like we're being punished or something."

"I heard that!" Mammon shouted, picking himself up off the ground. "C'mon human, it's time to go."

He marched over to me, grabbing me by the arm and pulling me out of my chair. I yelped in surprise, dropping my fork as I was forced away from the table. I struggled to free myself from Mammon's grip as we exited the dining room, the scummy demon muttering to himself the entire time.

"I swear, ever since you got here, human, it's been nothin' but one bad thing after another for me." He stopped walking, pulling me so I was standing in front of him. "So, let's get somethin' straight. I didn't make this pact 'cause I wanted to, and I ain't happy about it! Everything I did, I did for my credit card. For my baby Goldie. If you end up gettin' yourself eaten by some demon here at RAD, don't blame me, _'cause I don't give a damn._ You got that?! Don't go thinkin' you're all great and stuff just 'cause you managed to make some stupid pact, human!"

"Oh shut up!" I ripped my arm out of his grasp. "Shut up, stop yanking me around, and stop calling me 'human'! I have a name! Use it!"

"What?!" Mammon glared at me, an expression I returned in kind. "You know, you've got a real nasty mouth on you, doncha?! Maybe I'll just go ahead and eat you right now!" He poked me hard in the chest, which really set me off. "You're just a lowly human, and nothin' more! So, you'd better learn your place, and fast!"

I let out a growl, my fists clenching in sheer rage. Luckily for Mammon, I remembered the events of last night and I grinned. I crossed my arms, smirking at the demon before me.

"Stay!" I commanded.

Mammon's feet suddenly froze to the ground, keeping him from moving from where he stood. He yelped in surprise, then tried to move his legs.

"WH-what's going on?! I-I can't move!"

I just smirked as Mammon began to truly panic. He turned to me with a mixture of fear and rage.

"Listen up, Hu-" His words caught in his throat, as if something was preventing him from speaking. He coughed, then tried again. "Hu-... Huma-... Belle."

I couldn't keep a chuckle out of my voice.

"There, now was that so hard?"

"Dammit!" Mammon threw his hands in the air in utter exasperation. "Again with this?! Fucking pact!" He pulled down on his face, growling before shooting me a death glare. "Now you listen to me! You may control my body, but not my mind! I'm my own boss, and I always will be! Don't you ever forget that!"

"Whatever you say." I gave him a dismissive wave as I begin walking off. "See you after class."

Mammon looked triumphant for a brief moment, then remembered his situation.

"Hey wait, wait! Tell me I can move again! Hu- Belle! Belle, my boss! Belle, your majesty!"

He devolved into hopeless wailing after that, to which I just laughed as I made my way to school.

…

Word of my pact with Mammon spread throughout RAD like a wildfire. As I made my way towards my first class of the day, I could hear the whispers of the students gossiping around me. However, unlike yesterday, their words did not fill me with fear or dread. Instead, I listened with amused interest, curious as to what my peers thought of my accomplishment.

"Is that her? The human who forged a pact with Mammon?"

"Yeah, that's her. I don't get it though. Why forge a pact with an ordinary human?"

I smiled happily at the rumors, glad that there was no more talk of eating me.

"Huh," a voice behind me spoke up. "Whenever you make an important announcement, the demons here couldn't care less. But _rumors_ … they eat those up in seconds."

I turned to the demon who spoke, finding myself looking back at a green-haired man. He had a strange turquoise streak of hair on the right side of his face that was longer than the rest of his neat bowl cut. Like the rest of us, he wore the standard uniform, a dark green necktie completing the ensemble. He also had a pair of white gloves on, and carried himself like an old English butler.

To my surprise, this new demon was not alone. Standing next to him was none other than Diavolo himself, with Lucifer standing on the opposite side of the Demon Lord. Both of them were listening intently to the green demon, who shook his head with a small sigh, seemingly exasperated by what was going on.

"Honestly, just when I thought the uproar about the new exchange student from the human world had started to subside some, everyone began freaking out about this."

"Come now, don't say that, Barbatos," Diavolo admonished, smiling a bit. "Actually, I'd say all this gossip is a good thing. It means everyone will be watching this human, which makes it hard for any other demon to go after Belle's soul when no one is looking."

"Yes, since Mammon's not doing a very good job as a guardian," Lucifer growled. "I told him he was to look after Belle, but he's off somewhere shirking his responsibilities. Although, I can't say I'm surprised."

To my surprise, Diavolo turned to me and flashed me a proud smile. I turned red, realizing I'd been caught eavesdropping.

"I must say, I can't believe you managed to forge a pact with Mammon, Belle. That's no small feat. And what's more, you did it in such a short time."

"That's what everyone keeps telling me." I shrugged noncommittally. "Honestly, I just did it to try and curb some of Mammon's more annoying tendencies."

"Either way, it stands as proof that Lord Diavolo chose well in bringing you here," Barbatos spoke up.

"Thanks… Barbatos, right? I don't think we've officially met."

"Oh yes, my apologies." Barbatos gave me a small tip of his head, one hand flourishing slightly. "I am Barbatos, and I have the honor of serving as steward to Lord Diavolo. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Lady Isabella."

"Just Belle is fine, and it's a pleasure to meet you too."

"Barbatos here is a smart and talented individual," Lucifer commented. "So much so that I wish I could trade a certain idiot brother of mine for him instead."

Barbatos turned to Lucifer.

"Well, as for your brother, in the human world, it is sometimes said that a truly wise man does not flaunt his talents. He keeps them secret."

"Yes, but then again, an incompetent fool doesn't actually have any talents to begin with."

Diavolo chuckled, clearly amused by the conversation.

"Well, _I've_ heard it said that the most thick-headed child is always the cutest."

Lucifer looked away in embarrassment. His voice became desperate and somewhat pleading.

"Stop it, Diavolo. It's troublesome enough having him as my younger brother. But my child? _Him?_ I don't even want to think about it."

"Ah," a new voice chimed in. "but I notice that you didn't deny the part about him being cute, did you."

The voice was approaching from my right, so I turned towards the source. I found myself looking at a young man with chocolate colored skin, stunning blue eyes, and windswept black hair. Surprisingly, he wasn't wearing the usual school uniform. Instead, he was wearing a tight-fitting shirt with no sleeves and a high collar that showed off the sides of his torso. It was decorated with gold markings with segments of grey on the edge of the collar, a tiny patch of white resting on the center of the throat. Resting comfortably on his forearms was a large, white cape with a golden trim and string to keep it on. The inside of the cape was a beautiful blue to turquoise gradient that reminded me of the ocean. His pants were white with a black pattern on the top and he was also sporting black gloves with two golden lines that almost reaching his elbows. His smile was full of kindness and warmth, and just sitting near him just made me feel good about life.

"If I might offer my own opinion, out of you seven brothers, _you're_ without a doubt the most troublesome, Lucifer," the man went on in a tone that reminded me of smooth velvet.

Lucifer looked at the man with an expression that was difficult to read.

"Is that meant as a compliment, Simeon?"

Before Simeon could respond, there was the sound on an annoyed, childish snort right behind him. I leaned to the side, getting a better look at the source. Said source turned out to be a kid that didn't look much older than 11 or 12. He had short blonde hair under a white and gold beret. He was wearing a white robe with a blue and gold tie that looked like it was taken right out of the 18th century. A blue sash with golden stars was draped over his shoulder, the only color in the sea of white that surrounded this boy.

The boy turned glared at the demons with a look of childish anger and disgust. He gripped his small fists, his nails almost digging into the flesh of his palms as he shook them.

"Of course not!" The boy snapped indignantly, his voice cracking badly. "Duh! That was a put-down! An insult! He's taunting you!"

Lucifer's eyes flickered over to the boy with a hint of annoyance slipping through his unreadable facade.

"Ah, I see you've brought your Chihuahua along with you."

That seemed to set the boy off. He shook his fists again, glaring daggers at Lucifer.

"I am NOT a Chihuahua! How many times do I have to tell you that, demon?!"

"Well, what do you expect? I _am_ a demon after all." Lucifer got and amused expression on his face as he cocked his head to the side, crossing his arms. "Now then, stop yipping at me and be a good boy, okay?"

"Quit it! Don't you make fun of me! I'm _not_ a dog!"

I looked between Simeon and his juvenile companion, then turned towards Diavolo.

"I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that these two aren't demons."

"Indeed not," Diavolo confirmed. "Allow me to introduce Simeon and Luke, the exchange students from the Celestial realm. Which is to say, they're angels."

Simeon turned to me, giving me a bright smile.

"Well, hello. Belle, yes? I've heard a lot of rumors."

"You're the first person to get my name right on the first try. Nice to meet you." I gave Luke a curious look. "So, what's with the Chihuahua? He's got quite a temper for a supposedly angelic being."

"I am an angel!" Luke exclaimed indignantly, his face bright red from either anger or embarrassment. "Don't get started on this too, human! I'm _not_ a Chihuahua!"

"If you're an angel, why are you so small?" I questioned.

"I'm not small! I'm simply a low-ranking angel. _But_ I'll have you know that in the Celestial realm, I report directly to Michael the Archangel, as-"

"Luke," Simeon interjected, placing a hand on Luke's shoulder. "Calm down. You need to learn not to make such a huge fuss about everything."

"But Simeon...!" Luke whined, sounding very much like the Chihuahua everyone was comparing him to.

"He's right," Lucifer insisted. "This is why people call you a Chihuahua."

"Usually, the only one who calls me a Chihuahua is _you_ , Lucifer."

"If I may interject," Barbatos spoke up, surprising me as I had forgotten he was there. "The bell will ring soon, and I highly doubt the professor will be pleased if we are tardy."

"Barbatos is correct," Simeon concurred. "The last thing we want is to cause any trouble for our fellow classmates, especially a fellow exchange student."

"In any event," Diavolo spoke up, "I'm just relieved to see that things are going well for you here, Belle."

"Yes," Lucifer nodded. "Do look after Mammon for me, would you, Belle?"

"As I remember it, Mammon was supposed to be the one looking after Belle, correct?" Barbatos asked.

"Yes, that's how I remember it as well. Your point?"

Lucifer and Barbatos continued their pleasant debate as they walked off, Diavolo and Simeon following as well. This left me alone with Luke the Chihuahua. He looked at me, muttering something I could barely here. I looked confused, bending down so I could hear him better.

"What was that?" I asked. "I couldn't hear you."

Luke turned red, pushing me back so I was standing up straight once more.

"Don't lean down towards me like an adult listening to a child! You don't need to come down to my level! I'm not a kid!"

I held up my hand in a placating gesture.

"Whoa, easy there. I wasn't trying to be rude. I seriously didn't hear you."

Luke still looked annoyed, but clearly decided to just let it slide.

"I said, never trust a demon. Especially when that demon is Lucifer. He's a monster and a brute. He's uncivilized, immoral, and… and also..."

"And also a sadist?" I offered.

"Yes, exactly! He's the most sadistic of sadists!" Luke's voice lowered to a reasonable volume as he closed his eyes, sighing mournfully. "I was against this from the beginning. What are they thinking, bringing humans to the Devildom as exchange students?" His voice hardened once more and he met my eyes. "This is the only warning I'm gonna give you, okay?"

Before I could say anything else, the bell rang, forcing the two of us to begin heading for our respective classrooms. I watched Luke go, his words ringing in my ear as he disappeared from sight.

…

That night, I was laying in my bed in a desperate attempt to go to sleep. Much like the night before, sleep was just beyond my reach. Luke's words remains in my head all day and into the evening, making me uneasy. The fact that he called out Lucifer specifically didn't help things much. I let out a groan and rolled over, burying my face in my pillow, willing myself to go to sleep.

"...el..."

I stopped groaning, going still for a moment.

"...elp..."

I sat up in bed, almost certain I had heard something.

"Help… Someone help me..."

Those words had me out of bed in seconds. I didn't recognize the voice, but something inside of me knew I had to look into this. Grabbing my D.D.D. and the thin blanket from last time, I made my way out of my room to see what was going on. I slid through the familiar halls of the House of Lamentation, keeping my ears peeled for the voice again. Thankfully, I was not disappointed.

"Help... Over here!"

The voice led me to a large set of spiral stairs, ones I didn't remember seeing on Mammon's tour. Granted, said tour was not exactly the best, so it wasn't a surprise that there were rooms I didn't know about. I approached the stairs and was about to start climbing before a hand came down on my shoulder.

"Belle."

I jolted, turning around to see Lucifer standing behind me. He was dressed in black, silk pajamas with red trimming on the edge. Somehow, even when dressed for bed, he still managed to look regal and put together. His face was stern as he looked at me.

"Don't take another step. You're not to go any further. This is not a place for humans. Go back to your room."

He tried to usher me away, but I wouldn't budge.

"What's up there?" I asked. "Why can't I go up?"

"I just told you, this isn't a place for humans. This is the _Devildom._ There are certain rules that must be followed here. Also, _my word is law_ to you. You can't, and you won't, defy me." He resumed ushering me away. "Now, let's go. Back to your room."

As Lucifer forcefully marched me away from the stairs, I couldn't help but think back to Luke's warning. What was Lucifer hiding up those stairs, and what was that voice I heard? It had stopped the second Lucifer showed up, which just set off more red flags. As I finally reached my room once more, I laid down in bed, all these questions continued to plague me. One thing was certain: there was something going on in the House of Lamentation, and I was going to find out what.


	5. The Tale of the Seven Lords

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In order to solve the mystery of the attic, Belle needs a little help from the Otaku Demon

The Mystery of the Staircase continued to haunt me for the rest of the week. While the voice was no longer appearing in the night, I couldn't get its pleading cries out of my head for a single moment. A few nights after my first attempt, I tried to venture to the top of the staircase again. Like before, Lucifer materialized behind me, stopping me before I could make it a single step. I turned to him, seeing him giving me a threatening smile.

"Evening, Isabella. Out for an evening stroll?"

"Couldn't sleep." It wasn't a complete lie, but it wasn't the full truth either.

"Well, it seems your nightly curiosity continues to bring you to these stairs. As I recall, I told you this is not a place for humans. Perhaps if you're having trouble sleeping, I can make you some tea. Something that will help you sleep." His voice gained an edge that made a shiver go down my spine. "You should probably know that it's a bit _too_ effective on humans, to the point you may find that you _never_ wake up again."

I took a step back.

"Okay, okay, I get it. I'm going back to bed."

"Excellent." Lucifer's smile became sweet and non-threatening in an instant. "Good night, Isabella."

As I walked back to my room, I could feel Lucifer watching me every step of the way. I knew that if I wanted to get to the top of the stairs, I needed to get rid of Lucifer. Luckily for me, I had the one demon with more beef against him than anyone under my thumb.

…

The very next morning, I sat down for breakfast with Mammon. The greedy demon was still bitter as hell, ranting into his breakfast plate. I just ignored him, having grown used to his complaining after listening to it non-stop for a week.

"Why do I gotta be stuck here with you-" he pointed two fingers at me as he snarled "-first thing in the morning, having to look at your face while I'm trying to eat my breakfast? To us demons, eating a human like you is a special sorta treat, understand?"

I gave him a half-hearted grunt of acknowledgement, to which Mammon took as an invitation to continue.

"Yet, I'm not allowed to do that. I've gotta sit here and eat my breakfast instead. I mean, it's like havin' a premium-grade roast triomote musk hog right in front of me. Medium rare, cooked to perfection… but I can't have it. Instead, I'm sitting here eatin' dried black belly newt legs." He paused, holding up one of the aforementioned newt legs. "I mean, I'm not sayin' black belly newt legs are bad. I actually like 'em, but still!"

I just gave another half-hearted grunt, chewing on a piece of bacon. I didn't know what a triomote musk hog was, but the bacon tasted a lot better than anything I could ever get back home. Once more, Mammon continued with his rant.

"And what's even worse is that thick, juicy hunk of meat has started giving me orders now, like it's the boss of me or somethin'. It's _really_ not fun. I mean, what sick kind of torture is this anyway?!"

I scanned the table with a bored expression, perking when I realized there was no one else eating breakfast with us.

"Hey, where is everyone?"

"Hey!" Mammon snapped his fingers in my face. "Pay attention when I'm talking to ya, dunce! Or do those ears of yours not work?!"

"Jeez, I was just asking a question. Calm down, Mammon."

Whether it was because of my order or just because I finally acknowledged him, Mammon did just that.

"Well, to answer your question, I'm sure the others have already scurried off to class and left me to look after ya on my own, the punks. Rotten bastards, every last one of them. This all comes back to Lucifer! Getting stuck having to look after a human, ending up in a pact, everything bad is his fault! The way Levi's haircut is so lame, and Satan's horns are so stupid-lookin', and Lucifer's feet are so putrid, all of it is Lucifer's fault!" He winced slightly. "Not that I've ever actually smelled his feet, but still!"

The mention of Lucifer reminded me that, at least at this moment, the eldest brother was nowhere to be seen. I took the chance, knowing I would probably not get another.

"What's at the top of the stairs?"

"Hey! I _told_ you to _listen_ to me when I'm _talkin_ to you! I was tryin' to tell you about Lucifer's fe-" He finally stopped talking, registering my question. "...Wait, what stairs?"

"That spiral staircase down the hall. I tried to go up them, but Lucifer kept turning me away. Hell, I'm pretty sure he threatened to poison me if I tried again."

"Oh, you tried to go to the attic." Mammon shook his head, sighing in resignation. "Oh man, there you go again, stickin' your nose where it doesn't belong..."

"So, do you know what's up there that Lucifer doesn't want me seeing?"

"Nope. The attic's always been Lucifer's spot. No one goes up there."

"Okay… how about this? Do you know how I can get up there to find out for myself?"

Mammon sighed, dropping his newt leg and turning to me with an annoyed face.

"Listen here Hu… Belle." He cursed silently as he was forced to call me by name. "Do you know the secret to getting people to tell you stuff? Go ahead, tell me."

I rolled my eyes.

"Normally I'd say asking nicely, but knowing you, I'm gonna go out on a limb and say money."

"Exactly! If ya wanna pry valuable information outta someone, you gotta offer 'em proper compensation! You know, something to make it worth the effort. However, if you think you can just offer Mammon here a little bit of money and he'll spill the beans, you're dead wrong."

"Oh come on, Mammon."

"I mean it. Just, pretend I told you somethin' I shouldn't. Lucifer would beat me half to death." A look of dread washed over him. "Actually, I'd be lucky if that's all he did. If I weren't lucky, he'd have me eliminated. It'd take a good two hundred million years to recover from that."

"Mammon..."

Mammon glanced over at me as I gave him the most pleading look I could muster. He let out an annoyed groan.

"Look, if you're bound and determined to buy this information off of me, then you'll have to offer me… let's see..." He pondered for a moment, then flashed me a, pun unintended, devilish smile. "How about the monetary equivalent of the world's total oil production? Two hundred million years' worth? That might do it."

I just gave him a deadpan stare.

"You're not gonna tell me, are you?"

"And she finally gets it!" He poked me in the forehead. "Glad we cleared that up, ya blockhead."

I was just about to throw in the towel when an idea struck me. I smirked, leaning on the table and propping my cheek on my hand.

"Huh, I didn't realize just how scared you were of Lucifer."

Mammon began sputtering, looking at me like I'd suddenly sprouted a second head.

"What?! Whoa, what'd you just say? You think _I'm_ actually afraid of Lucifer?! Me, the Avatar of Greed?"

"I don't think you're afraid of Lucifer, I _know_ you are."

"You gotta be kidding! I'm not the least bit afraid of him, got it!" He pointed at himself with his thumb before pointing at me with his index. "Not even a little!"

"No need to hide it from me. I can tell you're scared."

"I told you, I'm not!" He was beginning to sound more like a petulant child than a powerful demon. "I mean, that's crazy!"

I just gave him an exaggerated nod, expressing my disbelief. In response, Mammon just looked even angrier than before.

"Listen now, most of the time, I don't let people see the full extent of my power!"

"Your point?"

"My point is that even if I did face off against someone like Lucifer, I wouldn't even have to use all of my strength to win! Understand?!"

"Then you're not afraid to tell me how to get up those stairs?"

"No I'm not!" I silently pumped my fist as Mammon began his explanation. "Every demon has the same weakness: Temptation. You find something they love or enjoy or grabs their interest, and they'll be hooked."

"So, all I need is to find a way to distract Lucifer. Something tells me it won't be as easy as pulling a credit card out of a freezer."

"You kidding? Distracting Lucifer will be as easy as pie!" He leaned forward, a shit-eating grin on his face. "Listen up, 'cause I'm only gonna say this once, so clean the wax outta your ears and pay attention. You know that series Levi likes? The uh..."

"The Tale of the Seven Lords?"

"Right, that one. Well, what you need to do is get your hands on a vinyl edition of the soundtrack for that TSL whatever. Don't ask me why, but he's been wanting a copy for the longest time and I'm positive that if you get it for him, he'll be distracted for sure."

I nodded slightly, seeing the logic in this plan. Unfortunately, there were still several loose ends that needed to be addressed.

"Okay, but how exactly do I do that? I don't even know where to begin looking for this record."

"Try with the biggest TSL nerd in existence, duh. You honestly think Levi _doesn't_ have something like that somewhere in his nerd cave?"

"True." I got to my feet, setting my napkin down over my plate. "We better get to work then."

Mammon scoffed, looking up at me with a smirk.

"You got an imp in your pocket or something? This is your crazy plan for something you want. This has nothing to do with me and I get nothing out of it." He stood up, casually flicking his napkin onto the table. "Now, I have to get to class. See ya later!"

He turned and walked off, giving me a casual wave. I smirked, letting him get to the door before calling out to him.

"Mammon, come!"

All of a sudden, he began backtracking. He was bent backwards like a dog trying to pull on a leash. He yelped and struggled until he was standing two steps behind me and one step to my left. Once he was there, he finally regained control of himself.

"Screw you Hu- Belle! GYAH! I hate this fucking pact and your fucking control over me! It sucks!"

"Sorry, not sorry. Let's go."

I began walking and so did Mammon, only adding to the dog on a leash imagery.

"Hey, hey, _hey!_ " He shouted as he was pulled along. "Stop it! Let go of me! Stop this!"

…

Mammon's shouts continued as I made my up to Levi's room. He continued pulling on his invisible leash, even going so far as to dig his feet into the carpet. This ended up being to his detriment when I finally came to a stop outside Levi's door. The tension of the invisible leash vanished and he ended up falling over.

"Ow..." He rubbed his butt as he got back up. "What the hell? Give a demon some warning next time. That hurt ya know!"

"Whatever," I turned to Levi's room. "You said Levi's bound to have the vinyl soundtrack. I'll ask him to let me borrow it, then we'll be good."

Mammon snorted.

"Yeah, that ain't gonna work. There's no way Levi's just gonna agree to lend you the soundtrack. Hell, he ain't even gonna let you in his room!"

"I lose nothing by asking." I gave the door a light knock. "Levi? It's Belle. Can I come in?"

"Go away." Levi called through the door. "I'm in the middle of watching the best scene of _The Magical Ruri Hana: Demon Girl._ "

Mammon banged on the door, much harder than I had.

"Levi, she's not gonna leave until she talks to you, and I can't leave until she does, so will you get off your ass and come to the door?"

"No."

Mammon turned to me, gesturing to the door with a 'Told-you-so' expression on his face.

"See? See?! He won't even open the damn door for us!"

"Mammon, shut up," I ordered, more than a little happy when Mammon's jaw snapped closed. "Levi, can I please come in? I just wanted to see if I could borrow the TSL vinyl soundtrack."

"No. You can't come in, and you can't borrow my TSL vinyl."

Mammon began making rather dramatic gestures at the door and at me. I'm certain that if I hadn't told him to shut up, he would be cursing me out and calling me all sorts of names. I just let him go about his shenanigans, trying to figure out how to convince Levi to let me in. Around that time, a familiar figure rounded the corner.

"Well," Solomon called out, stopping Mammon in his tracks, "this is certainly a surprise. Nice to see you again, Belle."

"Oh, hey Solomon," I greeted with a wave.

"I see the rumors about you and Mammon were not exaggerated."

Mammon cocked an eyebrow, going to try and talk, but his jaw remained fused. Solomon chuckled at the sight as Mammon resorted to literally trying to pry his jaw apart.

"I'm assuming this is your doing?"

I gave a nod.

"You can talk Mammon."

In an instant, Mammon's jaw unfused and he gasped loudly.

"Finally! Never do that to me again, ya hear?!" Mammon then turned his attention to Solomon. "And as for you, what did you mean by rumors? What have people been saying about me?!"

"Only that a certain human, our friend Belle here, despite appearing to be incredibly ordinary at first glance, somehow managed to make a pact with a demon." Solomon chuckled again. "Apparently, this demon was such an idiot that he let a human discover and exploit his greatest weakness, and was tricked into forging a pact."

Mammon turned beet red, clenching his fists in rage and embarrassment. I quickly got between him and Solomon.

"So, why are you here?" I asked.

"Oh, Levi invited me."

There was a beat of silence. I blinked in surprise as Mammon stuck his pinkie in his ear.

"Sorry," the demon spoke up. "I think I had something in my ear. Did you just say that Levi _invited_ you to his _room_?"

"I'm afraid it's the truth." He took the opportunity to slip past us, knocking on the door. "Levi? It's me."

"What's the secret phrase?" Levi prompted.

Solomon straightened up, beginning a back and forth exchange between himself and Levi.

"The second lord..."

"...attempted to steal the Lord of Corruption's platypus, which could lay golden eggs..."

"...having incurred the wrath of the Lord of Corruption for this misdeed..."

"...it was ordered that the second lord would be forever dubbed The Lord of Fools." Levi made a ding sound. "Secret phrase authenticated. You may enter."

Solomon smirked, opening the door and turning to me and Mammon.

"Well, guess I'll see you two later."

The door closed, leaving me and Mammon just staring at the closed door.

"Okay, what just happened?" Mammon questioned.

"Seems Levi will only let people who know his secret phrase into his room," I rationalized.

"Yeah but, didn't they just give it away? Maybe if you say exactly what Solomon said, Levi will let you in."

I shrugged. "Worth a shot."

I knocked on the door, getting an almost immediate response.

"What's the secret phrase?" Levi prompted.

"The second lord..."

Levi made a sound reminiscent of a buzzer on a gameshow.

"Secret phrase authentication failure. Access denied."

"Wha-? Wait!" Mammon approached the door, banging hard on the wood. "That was totally right! That was exactly what Solomon said!"

"The secret phrase is periodically reset for security reasons," Levi informed him.

"A one-time password," I realized. "No wonder Solomon had no qualms about saying it in front of us. He knew we couldn't use it."

"Yep," Levi confirmed. "Maybe you should try again after you've at least watched TSL on DVD."

I went to retort, but then I thought about the idea. After mulling it over for a minute, the idea actually had merit. I cracked a smile as Mammon flipped off the door.

"See? I told you there's no talking to-" He paused, noticing my expression. "Why are you smiling?"

"Do you know how to get your hands on the TSL DVD box set?"

"Yeah, you can order it on Akuzon for like 50 Grimm, why?"

"Order it for me and meet me in my room after class. We're gonna have a nice movie marathon tonight. Luckily it's the weekend, so we shouldn't get into any trouble with Lucifer."

Mammon glared at me, my order sinking in. With a sarcastic bow, he acquiesced to my request.

"Anything else, 'milady'?"

"Yeah, where's Beel? I want to talk to him about movie snacks."

…

The colorful flashes of "The Tale of the Seven Lords" illuminated my room. My light lavender bed sheet was thrown over the TV stand and held by clothespin and string, making a small pillow fort where Mammon, Beel and I were sitting. We were surrounded by chips, popcorn, and soda bottles, most of which were gathered around the sixth brother. I was on my stomach, cradling my pillow with the remote in hand. Beel was propped against my bed, the biggest tub of popcorn I had ever seen in his lap. Mammon was in the corner of the fort, crossing his arms and looking annoyed. All three of us were in our PJs for maximum comfort, though Mammon looked far from happy.

"So, explain somethin' to me," the greedy demon requested. "Why do I have to be here? I mean, this is 12 hours in total! Some of us actually have lives!"

Without missing a beat, both Beel and I turned to Mammon, raising our eyebrows in perfect synchronization.

"What?! I have friends!" Our expressions didn't change. "Really!"

"Whatever, are we about to start?" Beel asked. "I'm hungry."

"And that's another thing! Why the fuck are you here, Beel?!"

"When I asked him about good movie snacks to get, he asked if he could join," I explained. "I figured the more the merrier."

Mammon blinked, then face palmed.

"So, you're tellin' me you're just here for the food, beggin' the human for treats like some kind of dog?!"

"All I know is that once we start watching, I get to start eating. So hurry it up!"

Mammon gave no response, merely sighing in defeat and flopping onto the ground.

"Just start the damn DVD... and you better not eat my pizza, Beel!"

I turned on the DVD just as Beel turned to Mammon, a piece of the aforementioned pizza in his mouth.

…

The DVD Marathon was surprisingly enjoyable. All of the characters were well developed over the course of the series, not a single Lord going without some sort of special arc to iron out his kinks. Much to my shock, Mammon enjoyed the series the most out of all of us, going so far as to break down sobbing during the more emotional parts. One scene in particular during volume two had him clutching his pillow to his chest, bawling his eyes out.

"It's not fair!" he cried out.

"Mammon, are you okay?"

"No, I'm not! The Lord of Fools finally reunites with his one true love, only to find out she's frozen to death?! Can't he like- I dunno, use magic to bring her back? It's not fair!"

Beel turned, stuffing his face with hellfire sauce potato chips.

"You sound like Levi."

I chuckled at the imagery as we continued on. By the time we finally finished the series, Beel had polished off the snacks and was asleep on his part of the fort. I ended up dozing off during the final credits of the final volume, using Beel's surprisingly warm and comfortable chest as a pillow. Mammon eventually managed to pry his eyes away from the screen, flopping onto the floor and snoring like a log.

…

When morning came, Mammon and I gathered in the living room, chatting amongst ourselves. Since it was Saturday and we didn't have school, neither of us were in our uniforms. I was clad in an old Batman t-shirt with a hoodie and a pair of jeans, my go to outfit for comfortable. Mammon was wearing a brown and white aviator with the collar turned up over a simple black shirt. He had blue skinny jeans held up by a yellow belt and wore black mid-calf boots, with white soles. Perched on his nose was his key accessory, a pair of square, orange shades that were exactly like the ones on his profile picture.

"Alright, so let's go over what we learned during that marathon," Mammon insisted. "I do _not_ want to have wasted 12 hours of my life for nothing."

"Go for it," I challenged. "Hit me with your best shot."

"Volume 2, when the Lord of Shadow and Henry teamed up set a trap for the Lord of Fools. He was forced to flee to..?"

"To the North, when he found the frozen remains of Geldie, his one true love."

"Correct, but that's an easy one. Let's try volume 5. Hostile forces from another land invade the Lord of Flies' country, surrounding and isolating him so his people starve. So, the Lord of Fools try to help by…?"

"Sending food for his people!"

"Yep," Mammon nodded. "But..."

"But… there was a big rainy spell and all the food spoiled!"

"Correct again." Mammon sighed, rubbing his eyes. "Just thinking about it makes me want to cry."

"Don't break down on me now, Mammon. Keep 'em coming."

"Alright, alright, Volume 7. The Lord of Corruption imprisons the Lord of Emptiness in the Tower of Shadow, refusing to forgive his brother for leading a rebellion against him. The other lords lament the fate of their younger brother, but don't do anything because…?"

"Because they're afraid of the Lord of Corruption and don't want to end up like the Lord of Emptiness, or make his situation worse than it already is."

"Great job. Looks like you can do this when ya really put your mind to it."

It was the closest I had come to a compliment from Mammon, so I decided to take it. I smiled happily.

"Think I'll be able to convince Levi to talk to me now?"

"There's no doubt that you know your stuff. He'll be convinced for sure."

That's when I felt someone tap my shoulder. I turned around to see an irate Leviathan standing right behind me. He was wearing a long, black shawl jacket that reached his knees with 3 buttons of different emoji's stuck on its right side. Underneath, he wore a blue and white turtle-neck long sleeve shirt with a zipper on the collar. He had jogging pants with 2 orange lines on each side and a pair of orange and black sneaker. A large pair of yellow headphones completed the ensemble, the set currently hanging around his neck with the cord trailing into his pocket.

"Hello human," he greeted coldly, his hands shoved into his pockets as he glared at me.

"Well, speak of the devil," Mammon piped up.

Levi ignored him, his eyes never leaving me.

"I heard what you're up to, human. Seems you're trying to suck up to me so I'll like you."

"I'm not sucking up to anyone," I argued. "I'm just trying to learn more about your interests so you'll give me the time of day."

"Yeah, where'd you even hear that anyway?" Mammon questioned.

"Don't play dumb you two, Lucifer told me everything."

I went pale, my heart skipping a beat or two. Mammon just looked annoyed, rolling his eyes and flopping onto the couch with a long groan.

"Fucking Lucifer! How the hell does he end up hearing _every_ single thing that gets said around here?"

"That's not important," Levi declared, waving a hand dismissively. You know, I've heard it said that the time a fool spends thinking is _wasted_ time. I think that applies here. You're lucky to have so much time on your hands that you can sit around thinking up schemes like this."

My fear was replaced with confusion as I watched Levi devolve into a childish rant.

"There's so much anime I need to watch, so many figurines and trading cards I need to organize, so man games I need to play just sitting there, piling up. As much as I wish I could watch a marathon of every TSL DVD, I don't have the time. So, why do _you_ get to have so much free time? _It's so not fair!_ "

"Ah!" Mammon stuck an arm straight up, pointing at the ceiling while he remained flopped on the couch. "I was waiting for you to say that. Your signature line: 'It's so not fair'."

"Now I'm starting to see why you're the Avatar of Envy," I spoke up.

"Whatever," Levi snorted. "I don't know what it is you're plotting, but I'm not about to get all buddy-buddy with some human _normie_ , understand? I'm not like Mammon. Get that through your head."

"Hey, it's not like Belle and I are buddy-buddy either!" Mammon argued, actually sitting up this time. "My body obeys her orders on its own, whether I like it or not. It's not my fault!"

Once again, Levi ignored Mammon. He poked me in the chest, glaring daggers at me.

"Don't go getting any ideas in your head, human."

"Too late, I already got one." I crossed my arms and grinned. "You and me, let's have a TSL contest."

Levi blinked, clearly caught off guard by my suggestion.

"...what? Where did that come from?"

"I thought of it just now. You and I will compete to see who the bigger TSL fan is. If you win, I back down and stop bothering you. However, if I win, you have to make a pact with me."

Mammon's jaw hit the ground as Levi met my eyes. Much to my surprise, he just started laughing.

"Do you _seriously_ think you can beat me in such a contest?! That's hilarious! Lol!" He actually said Lol out loud before calming down and wiping an eye. "Besides, why would I accept a challenge like that? Victory is assured, so there's no point."

"What's the matter, Levi?" I taunted. "Afraid of losing?"

"Excuse me?! Did everything I say go in one ear and out the other? When did I say I was afraid of losing to you?"

"I knew it. You _are_ afraid, then."

"Are you even listening to me?!"

"Levi's a chicken!" I proclaimed in a singsong voice. "Levi's a-!"

"Alright!" I stopped my taunts and turned to Levi, who was standing there with his fists clenched in his pockets, visibly bunching the fabric inside. "If that's what you want, then I accept your challenge. We'll compete to see which one of us loves TSL more. Just be warned. If you lose, you might not make it back to the human world _alive._ "

"Just make sure you brush up on the pact oath," I retorted. "You'll need it after I kick your ass."

Levi smirked, then held out his hand. I took it and we shook, the deal complete.

…

Word of my nerd duel with Levi spread across the House of Lamentation with surprising speed. When I went to the dining room to get myself some lunch, I found Satan leaning against the door. He was wearing a black shirt under a soft, light green V-neck sweater. He had teal colored pants with white side buttons, and a pair of brown shoes. Completing the ensemble was a blue blazer that he was only wearing on his right sleeve, the rest of the jacket just draped over his shoulder.

Standing with him was Beel, who had a donut in his mouth and a full box in one arm. He was dressed in an indigo parka with complementing white and orange design on respective sleeves over a black shirt with white and orange triangle designs. He wore dark purple pocket pants with belt covered with green and violet triangle designs, as well as one with neon purple lines dangling from it. His shoes were grey and black with neon green and orange designs.

"Hello, Belle," Satan said with a playful wave. "I heard what's happening. It seems you and Levi are going to have a little competition."

Beel gulped down his donut with one bite, wiping his mouth on the back of his hand.

"Are you trying to get into the attic room? Find out what's up there?"

I blinked in surprise.

"Yeah… how did you know?"

Beel just shrugged, looking me over as if sizing me up. I was a little worried he was imagining ways to cook me, but his next words put me at ease.

"I'll let you in on a nice piece of information. Levi is the demon of envy. If you can work him into a jealous frenzy, he'll lose control of himself. Then, he'll be guaranteed to slip up somehow, giving you an opening you can exploit." I smiled at the surprisingly helpful tip, until Beel's face grew serious. "Just one thing though. If Levi does lose control of himself, your life will also be in danger."

"Thanks," I told him, pursing my lips. "Though, I have to ask. Why are you telling me this?"

"No reason," Beel shrugged. "Just felt like it, that's all."

Satan glanced over at Beel with an expression that was difficult to read. After a moment, he turned back to me.

"I'll give you a piece of advice too. The DVD version of TSL is up to season 7 now. That's the most recent release. Meanwhile, the original book version is up to volume 8 at this point. Volume 9 of the book isn't out yet, but if you want to know what's going to happen in it, you should ask Simeon."

"Simeon? I didn't know he was a TSL fan, but why would he know about a book that hasn't come out yet? More than that, why are you being so forthcoming with these hints?"

"Don't ask me, ask him." He adjusted his blazer, looking away as he did. "Also, it just so happens that it's in my best interest for you to beat Levi."

Realizing that was all the information I was going to get, I decided not to look this gift horse in the mouth. Forgoing lunch, I went to find Mammon so he could take me to Simeon.

…

"So, lemme see if I got this straight," Mammon insisted as he and I walked down the street towards Simeon's dorm. "You're telling me that Beel and Satan _both_ gave you hints on how to defeat Levi?"

"Yeah, I don't quite get it either," I shrugged. "I mean, Satan said it was because he benefited from Levi losing, but Beel seems to know more than he's letting on. Either way, they suggested working Levi into a jealous rage and talking to Simeon about the unreleased TSL book volume."

"Well, I can confirm the jealousy thing. Make him jealous of you and he's bound to lose his cool. Can't guarantee he won't kill ya if that happens."

"Well, that's a risk I'm gonna have to take. Let's face it, I can't beat Levi if I fight fair. The big question is how I'm gonna make him jealous of me."

"It's not as easy as I'm making it out to be," Mammon warmed, crossing his arms. "He may be called the Avatar of Envy, but it's hard to make him give into it. Instead of gettin' super jealous of you, he'll get all negative about his own situation."

"Like he did this morning about our marathon?"

Mammon tapped his nose, nodding.

"Bingo. You're not gonna be able to get him to lose his cool just by doing a little bragging. No, you're gonna have to do somethin' to make him _real_ jealous. So jealous that he nearly pops a blood vessel."

"So I guess Simeon's our best bet. If he does have the knowledge Satan insisted he did, then that information could be the ticket to getting Levi's goat."

"Exactly." Mammon smirked slightly, his eyes sparking behind his glasses. "And if I'm being honest, I'm dyin' to find out what's gonna happen myself."

I shared his smirk as we headed off to get information from Simeon.


	6. The TSL Contest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Battle of the Nerds begins!

The competition between myself and Leviathan was set to take place the same night I went to see Simeon. Much to my surprise, it didn't happen in the living room of the House of Lamentation like I had expected. Instead, this had been turned into an entire event. The courtroom I had appeared in on my first day in the Devildom was chosen as the venue, with demons packed in the gallery to watch and the demon brothers all sitting in their respective seats at the student council podiums. All of us were dressed in our school uniforms, only adding to the feel of this being a formal event.

Once everyone was gathered up and in their places, Asmo stood up from his seat, beaming like a proper talk show host as he began to speak.

"All right everyone! Finally, the wait is over! It's time for Devil's Trivia Showdown, the quiz show that pits demon against human! Today, our competitors will be testing their knowledge regarding a super famous, super popular fantasy series. One that's known by young and old alike… _The Tale of the Seven Lords!_ "

There was applause from the few demons that had gathered to watch the spectacle, including several lesser demons that reminded me of small ink creatures in top hats.

"Now, it's time to introduce our two competitors. First, he's a demon who freely admits to being a giant TSL Nerd! Meet Leviathan!"

The demons applauded as Levi came out, smiling like a celebrity.

"I am the G.O.A.T!" He proclaimed. "None can oppose me!"

"And his challenger," Asmo continued. "Claims to have been introduced to TSL very recently after binge watching the DVDs! Say hello to Isabella Collins!"

I walked towards Levi to some applause and more than a few snickers. I didn't let it bother me as I approached my opponent, smirking triumphantly.

"You're going down, Levi."

Levi snorted in disbelief and disgust.

"You binge-watched the DVDs _once_ , that's it. The fact that you would _dare_ challenge me is an insult to TSL itself. It's _sacrilege_! It's so infuriating that I can't even feel the anger I can only laugh!"

He then proceeded to laugh in my face as Asmo continued his introductions.

"Serving as judge for today's competition is our very own Demon Lord himself, Diavolo!"

Now the applause was ridiculous, every demon rising to their feet to clap as Diavolo waved at them.

"Hello there," he greeted. "Good to see you."

"Color commentary will be provided by Satan, the Avatar of Wrath," Asmo went on, sighing somewhat in poorly disguised disappointment. "But a good commentator needs to keep a cool head. I wonder, is he really up to the task?"

"I don't think that's going to be a problem," Satan assured his brother, smirking somewhat maliciously.

"Now, say hello to our guest demon, the always famished Beelzebub!" Asmo continued, sighing even more. "For his appearance fee, he requested to be compensated in cheeseburgers. How very Beel of him..."

Beel didn't seem phased by this comment, munching on a large pile of fresh burgers piled on a silver platter before him. He just smiled, making happy noises before swallowing.

"Nothing beats one of Hell's Kitchen's special cheeseburgers. They age the cheese 4000 years for maximum flavor."

Asmo just rolled his eyes, then his smile returned.

"And your host for the day is none other than yours truly, Asmodeus. The demon who can make you swoon simply by whispering into your ear. You all know me, and you all love me."

"Alright, enough!" Mammon called out from his podium. "This is gettin' ridiculous. Let's get this show on the road!"

Lucifer glanced over at Mammon from his own seat crossing his arms in mild surprise.

"I thought you hated wasting your time at events like this, Mammon. Yet here you are. Truly, wonders never cease."

Mammon blushed a deep red and turned away in embarrassment.

"Shut up, Lucifer. I've got some free time, that's all."

"Well then, we'll start with you, Belle," Asmo decided. "Get ready for TSL Quiz question number one!"

"Bring it on!" I declared, pumping my fist.

"Very well then. The Seven Lords are all brothers, and each has a specific name that people know them by. In birth order, name the oldest, second oldest, and third oldest Lords."

I laughed, the answer being beyond easy to remember.

"The Lord of Corruption, the Lord of Fools, and the Lord of Shadows."

"Well how about that! You're absolutely correct!" The entire area broke into applause as Asmo beamed at me happily. "Way to start the game off on the right foot, Belle."

"Oh come on!" Levi called out. "Anybody could've gotten that one right."

The only real comment Levi received was Beel praising the fact that his burgers came with onion rings. Asmo in turn elected to ignore the outburst, continuing with the contest.

"Alright Leviathan, it's your turn now. Here comes your question number one! In what year did the Lord of Shadow build the Blue Palace for his imaginary mistress?"

"Year 693 of the ancient era," Levi answered without missing a beat.

"Correct!" Asmo cheered. "What an impressive showing from the self-described TSL nerd!"

"In me, you bear witness to a legend!" Levi declared.

"Even so, is it just me, or was that question a little _too_ specific?" Satan spoke up, looking somewhat concerned. "Only a mega nerd would know that."

Diavolo giggled like a little kid, a massive grin on his face.

"This is shaping up to be quite entertaining, isn't it Lucifer?"

"I'm glad you find it to your liking, Diavolo."

"Alright, back to you Belle!" Asmo announced, drawing my attention back to the game. "Get ready for TSL Quiz question number two! This sixth lord is the Lord of Flies. What does he love to eat more than anything else?"

I glanced over at Beel and his massive pile of cheeseburgers, laughing softly before clearing my throat and answering.

"A cursed goat tartare sandwich with cheese."

"Correct!" Asmo threw his hands up in celebration. "Very impressive! That was a tough one! You really know your stuff, don't you?" He then turned back to Levi, lowering his hands while carefully brushing his hair to the side. "Now, back to Mr. Reliable himself, Leviathan! Here comes your question number two! In _The Tale of the Seven Lords_ volume 3, page 724, what does the Lord of Fools say in the fifth line from the top?"

I whistled at the hyper specific question, but Levi didn't even flinch. In fact, he grinned before quoting the line in the same voice from the series.

"Money is my dearest friend and closest companion. It's everything to me. The blood bonds I share with my brothers are like the weak, wispy threads of a spider by comparison."

"Amazing! That is correct! An exact match, word for word!"

Satan let out a snort, shaking his head.

"The more I learn about the Lord of Fools, the clearer it is that he's a total scumbag."

Mammon turned to Satan, looking annoyed and embarrassed.

"Why does it feel like you're insulting _me_ right now?"

"Alright, moving on..." Asmo declared before an argument could spawn between Satan and Mammon. "It's your turn now, Belle. Say hello to question number three! This is regarding the fifth brother, the Lord of Lechery. Who does he love more than anyone else?"

I snorted, shaking myself.

"Himself of course, duh."

"Well, well! Excellent! You are absolutely right! The fourth Lord loves himself above all else. Sounds like my kind of guy."

"Come on, hurry up!" Levi whined, stomping his foot and throwing his fists against his sides. "It's my turn now!"

Asmo turned to Levi with a serious expression, clearly determined to trip him up.

"Leviathan, you've gotten every single question correct thus far, but prepare yourself. Question number three is coming at you! In volume 4 of the DVD series, at exactly 159 minutes and 35 seconds in, what is the Lord of Masks holding in his left hand?"

I reeled back, wondering how Levi could possibly know the answer to this question. However, he answered once more without skipping a beat.

"He's holding a flower from a carnivorous grodoodle plant, grown by the Lord of Corruption."

There was a moment of stunned silence as everyone waited for Asmo to declare the answer.

"Incredible," he commented, looking shocked and a bit worried. "That only flashed on screen for the briefest of moments, and yet you still caught it. Amazing! You're knowledge truly is extensive! In fact, I'd even say it's creepy..."

Levi didn't seem to notice Asmo's comment. Instead, his eyes narrowed as he reviewed the questions we had received.

"Hey, is it just me, or have all of my questions been way harder than Belle's?" he asked. "Like, suspiciously harder. I mean, they're still so easy for me that I'm ready to fall asleep here."

"If that's true, then why complain?" I retorted, attempting to get him off his train of thought, an attempt that thankfully worked.

"Anyway… How long are we going to keep up this charade? This is getting boring."

"Agreed," Mammon announced. "Time to bring out the big guns! Let's see how Levi here likes your trump card!" He then turned to Levi, grinning widely. "Levi, you're way too full of yourself. Which is why we're about to reach inside of ya, yank out that pride, and crush it like a bug!"

Levi looked between me and Mammon, confused beyond belief.

"What…?"

"Well, well," Diavolo mused, leaning on his podium. "Isn't this interesting?"

"Wow!" Asmo declared, holding his hands up in shock. "It sounds to me like the gauntlet has just been thrown down! It would seem Belle has some sort of trump card to use against Leviathan! Perhaps now would be a good time to check in with our color commentator. Satan, what do you think this could be about?"

"Well, it's not at all surprising that Belle would come into this with a secret weapon," Satan mused. "It seems that the advice I gave her is about to pay some dividends. Excellent."

This threw Asmo for a loop.

"Just a minute… Satan, are you telling us you provided _aid_ to Belle? How _very_ wicked of you!" He turned to Beel at that, clearly still reeling. "I suppose this would be a good time to get your take on this as well, Beel."

"If you want to hear what I have to say, it's going to cost you," Beel warned. "Let's say one extra-large bowl of katsudon and some miso soup to go along with that."

Asmo sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Okay, _whose idea was it to invite Beel to this, huh?!_ He's done nothing but _eat_ this entire time!" He then took a deep breath, steadying his nerves and adjusting his hair again. "... In any event, if Belle really does have a secret weapon, it could mean something that will make winning against Leviathan possible!" He slid across the floor, facing Levi. "Perhaps we should hear what Belle's opponent thinks about this. Tell me Levi, what's running through your head right now?"

I faced Levi, curious to see if this reveal had caused him to feel worried or potentially jealous. Instead, Levi just started cackling, a hand to his mouth as he almost doubled over with laughter.

"Well, clearly you don't see this as a threat," Asmo surprised. "Got it! So, what could this trump card of Belle's be? Let's find out!"

I straightened up, adjusted my ribbon tie, and then began a nice summary of the major plot developments of the as-of-yet unreleased TSL Volume 9. I was particularly happy to reveal a massive spoiler to Levi about the Lord of Masks betraying the Lord of Shadows, which Levi did _not_ take well. His face went pale and he stumbled back.

"No! You're lying! The Lord of Masks would never-!" He sputtered for a bit, trying to regain his composure. "It's nothing but lies! Pure hogwash! Don't think you can fool me by making up random stuff like that!"

I felt Lord Diavolo staring at me and I turned towards him, his golden eyes shining for a brief moment. When I blinked, his eyes were normal once more and he leaned back in his chair.

"Actually, Belle doesn't appear to be lying," he informed the irate Avatar.

I blinked in confusion, turning to the other brothers for clarification. Satan quickly supplied me with the answer.

"Lord Diavolo has the ability to discern whether someone is telling the truth."

"B-but… No…!" Levi cried out in anguish. "Everyone online has been talking about how the Lord of Masks and the Lord of Shadow are totally gonna make up… what you said _can't_ happen! It's just _can't!_ "

"Huh..." Mammon let out in mild surprise. "Guess all that stuff Simeon told us was true then. How about that? Still, how did he know all that?"

Asmo cleared his throat, getting everyone's attention.

"Okay everyone! I suppose this settles who the true TSL nerd is-!"

"No! I won't stand for this!" Levi shrieked as he began stalking towards me, murder in his eyes. "All you did was stay up one night marathoning the DVDs. The idea that someone like _you_ could actually be a bigger TSL fan than me, it's..."

With every step Levi took, his form began radiating orange energy. I gulped, feeling a cold lump of fear settling in my stomach. Mammon went wide-eyed, rising to his feet.

"Wh-whoa, calm down there, Levi!" He tried to tell his pissed off brother.

"No… _NO!_ _I WILL NOT STAND FOR THIS!_ "

As he screamed this, Levi's body erupted with a demonic aura that made everything go cold. His body changed and his clothing morphed as his demonic side began to show. Dark, branched, coral-like horns curled upwards from the sides of his head, diamond markings similar to snake scales sprouted on the right side of his neck, and a long, black, serpentine tail sprouted behind him. His clothing now consisted of a black halved side-zipped hoodie with a purple underside that was decorated with white scale-like designs. Underneath, he sported a black tight-fitting shirt, white and gold accented clip-on suspenders attached to snake-skin pants. He wore black dress shoes and black gloves, completing the outfit.

"Belle!" Mammon cried out, his voice full of terror. "Run! Get out of here!"

Mammon's cries finally managed to return my ability to move. I turned on my heels and sprinted for the door. Unfortunately for me, Levi was right behind me. Mammon vaulted up from his seat, jumping over his podium to try and intercept Levi.

"Belle!" He cried out again. "Dammit, I'm not gonna make it in time!"

I felt a hand grab me roughly by my wrist, wrenching me off balance as I fell. The grip on my wrist was like iron, crushing the limb in its grasp. I screamed and screwed my eyes shut, waiting for Levi to attack me.

"Enough!" Lucifer bellowed, right next to me.

I gasped, turning to see that it wasn't Levi holding my wrist, but Lucifer. Even more surprising was Lucifer was in his own demon form. He possessed two curled ram horns on his head, a black diamond situated right in the center of his forehead. Four pitch black angel wings spread out behind his back, framing his intimidating form. He wore a high-collared, twin-tailed coat with red and gold peacock feathers embroidered on the tails. He had a black waistcoat, a pendant decorated with black and red peacock feathers tucked into the collar, and wore simple black pants and leather shoes with two stray silver chains hanging from an ornament on his belt. On his hands were a pair of red gloves.

Lucifer's demon form had everyone staring in fear, awe, or a mixture of both. Mammon was frozen, stopping his interception attempt to just examine the scene. Beel ended up choking on his cheeseburger from surprise. Levi looked utterly terrified, his tail curled around himself protectively as he stepped back. I just remained where I was as Lucifer released my wrist, certain I wasn't going to be making a break for it again. Two of his wings came down between me and Levi as the eldest brother crossed his arms and stared down the third oldest.

"I believe you were going to settle this via a _quiz_ , weren't you? Not through violence. You're out of control, Levi."

Levi just gulped in terror as I carefully clutched my throbbing wrist. Asmo held up his hands in shock and surprise, resuming his duties as host.

"U-unbelievable! Just as Leviathan was about to strike, who should step in and stop him but the one and only Lucifer himself! Simply incredible!"

"I haven't seen you leap to someone's rescue like that in quite some time, Lucifer," Satan remarked, looking both surprised and intrigued.

Lucifer ignored the remarks, keeping his eyes firmly on Levi.

"Go to your room and cool off, Levi."

Levi was frozen stiff, just trembling before Lucifer like a condemned prisoner.

"Levi?" Diavolo called out in a stern voice I hadn't heard before. "You heard what he said, right?"

That seemed to return movement to Levi's body. He gave a small nod, slinking out of the room swiftly and silently. Everyone watched him go, nobody saying a word. Mammon briefly opened his mouth, but closed it almost immediately after. Lucifer noticed this and turned to him.

"Mammon? Something you want to say?"

"No..." Mammon answered, his voice low and quiet. "I don't wanna say nothin'."

"So, what are we going to do now?" Asmo questioned. "How are we supposed to have our competition without Levi?"

"Well, I suppose this means the competition ends in a draw," Diavolo decided. "Neither one of them won."

Everyone nodded along to the sentiment, including myself. Considering how close I came to death today, I'd take my unscathed survival as my prize. However, one member of the audience was still examining Lucifer, rubbing his chin in contemplation.

"Still," Satan spoke up, "I have to say I find it surprising that you would go out of your way just to rescue a mere human, Lucifer. Very surprising… don't you agree, Mammon?"

"Huh?" Mammon let out, looking confused. "Why're ya askin' _me_?"

"As the oldest, it's my duty to clean up my younger siblings' messes," Lucifer supplied before turning to me. "Now, are you unharmed?"

"Levi didn't hurt me," I admitted before wincing at my now bruised wrist. "But I think you broke my wrist when you grabbed me."

…

As it turned out, my wrist was only sprained. Lucifer had me tended to almost immediately and I was soon sporting a simple splint to help it heal. Once the doctor left, I sat in my room, just grateful to be alive. Beel and Mammon joined me, no doubt checking to make sure I was okay. The former had even brought a box of pizza for us to share for dinner, a surprising gesture from the Avatar of Gluttony

"I can't believe you made it out of there without being attacked, only to sprain your wrist being rescued," Mammon snorted. "Seriously, how does that happen?"

"You humans really are way less physically capable than us demons," Beel agreed, stuffing his third slice into his mouth.

"Yeah, yeah, I know." I turned my wrist over and over in my hand, feeling the pressure of the splint. "Honestly, considering the hand-shaped bruise Lucifer left, I'm surprised it _didn't_ break. Guess I got lucky."

"You need to eat more," Beel insisted, talking with his mouth full. "You're not eating enough and, unlike us, you're not eating the right things."

"I don't think my diet has anything to do with this. I eat just fine."

Yeah!" Mammon agreed, smacking Beel on the arm. "Stop tying everything back to food! And for that matter, why are you even here? Ever since the DVD Marathon, you've been spending an awful lot of time here."

"Well, so have you," Beel retorted.

"He has a point," I admitted. "I mean, I've found one of your D.D.D. chargers plugged into my wall, and your toothbrush at my sink."

Mammon choked on his pizza, coughing and struggling to breathe from the shock. I gave him a pat on the back, helping him regain his breath.

"W-well that's because, uh… you know… I've gotta look after Belle, don't I? It's my job..."

I chuckled in amusement, coming to a surprising realization: Mammon was a tsundere. I hadn't had to order him around since we watched the marathon, and he had indeed been hanging around here a lot. More than that, he hadn't hesitated to try and save me from Levi. Part of me wondered if he was beginning to develop feelings for me, but I wasn't about to push my luck by asking.

"Hey!" Mammon shouted, snapping my attention back to the present. "Is that my slice you have in your other hand, Beel?!"

I glanced over at Beel, who did indeed have two slices of pizza in his hands. From Mammon's empty plate, he'd clearly snatched it from the second eldest. I checked my own plate, seeing my slice was still there, to which I was silently grateful. I munched on my slice as Beel polished off both his and Mammon's.

"I'm gonna go get some soda from the kitchen," the gluttonous demon decided, rising to his feet. "Want one, Belle?"

"Cream soda, please."

"Hey!" Mammon scrambled to his feet. "Hey! Beel! Stop eating all my food!"

Beel just walked out of my room with Mammon following him to the door. Once it was clear Beel was ignoring him, he returned to his seat, groaning in annoyance.

"Of all the… Seriously, does that guy ever stop eating?! You better keep a close eye on your pizza, or he'll steal yours away next."

"I'll keep that in mind."

I continued eating as Mammon sat there, fiddling with the bracelet on his wrist.

"Ah… um, by the way..." I looked up as Mammon struggled to speak. "There's somethin' I want you to know…"

"What is it?"

Mammon closed his eyes, clenching his fists with determination.

"The next time your life's in danger, I'm gonna be the one to save you, alright? Don't you forget that. I won't have no one else steppin' in and savin' ya, alright? It's me or no one, understand?!"

I smiled, laughing lightly as I gave Mammon a nod.

"Alright, got it."

Mammon turned away, blushing a deep red color.

"G-good… Glad we're on the same page."

I went to resume eating, but that's when my D.D.D. began ringing. I looked at it in surprise, then scooped it up. When I saw the caller I.D, I felt my throat seize up.

"It's Levi..."

Mammon sat up, watching me carefully as I answered the phone.

"Hello?"

" _...Human… We need to talk._ "

"You're not going to try and kill me again, are you?"

" _No. Just… come to the planetarium, okay? And hurry up. I want to get this over with._ "

He ended the call before I could ask for details. I looked at the D.D.D. then glanced over at Mammon. I stood up, sliding my D.D.D. into my pocket.

"Hey, where's the Planetarium?"

…

It didn't take me long to reach the Planetarium, a large dome structure situated out in the garden. Trellised windows surrounded a well-lit hanging display of the planets, a glowing circular map engraved into the ceiling. Several chairs and sofas lined the walls with a few tasteful plants, and it was here that I found Levi. He was normal looking once more, dressed in his casual clothes. However, his expression was anything but friendly.

"Finally," he declared, rising to his feet as I entered the planetarium. "I've been waiting for you to show up. When I call for you, you need to come right away, understand? Don't walk, run. I want you moving at light speed. Like the way Henry races over whenever his best friend the Lord of Shadow calls on him."

"In my defense, we're not on Lord of Shadow and Henry levels yet. They had time to develop their bond over a series of adventures that tested the character of both men and strengthened their friendship. That, and I don't have a winged unicorn."

"You make a point. We're not best friends."

"But we could be." I stepped forward. "Look Levi, I don't want to be enemies with you or anyone here. I want to be friends… I want to be your friend."

Levi looked shocked, his face turning red.

"What?! Did you say _friends_? You and Me…?! A-A-Are you… are you out of your mind?!" He seemed more flustered than angry, which shifted to shame and embarrassment after that. "I tried to attack you, you know that right? If Lucifer hadn't intervened, you'd be dead right now."

"I know, but I'm okay." I held up my wrist. "Nothing more than a sprained wrist, and that's on Lucifer. Besides, I did kind of egg you on, so it's only reasonable that you lashed out. I'm not going to hold a grudge, and I hope you don't either."

Levi mulled over my words for a moment, then let out a sigh.

"...alright, look. Here's the thing. You remember why we decided to have the competition in the first place, right?"

"Yeah, I challenged you to see who the biggest TSL fan was."

"Uh-huh. If I won, you were to leave me alone, but if you won, I had to make a pact with you. Your trump card was a real dirty trick, but a promise is a promise."

I blinked in confusion.

"Hang on, the contest ended in a draw. Neither of us won."

"Only because of my outburst. You were set to win before I lashed out." Levi took a breath, swallowing hard. "It really kills me to do this… really makes my stomach churn. But, I'll keep my end of the bargain. I'll make a pact with you."

I smiled, holding out my hand.

"Thank you."

Levi just took my hand, beginning the oath.

"I am Leviathan, the Avatar of Envy. I pledge myself to you, Isabella Collins, that we may be bound by an unbreakable pact. This I swear to you on both my name and the very blood that runs through my veins."

Like with Mammon, our clasped hands began to glow, light swirling around our wrists before coalescing into solid jewelry. For Levi, this consisted of an orange metal band on his wrist. For me, I gained an orange charm on my bracelet. It was shaped like a curled demon tail, a small star nestled in the crook of the tail. Levi hooked a finger through his bracelet, examining it before letting it go and sliding his hands into his pockets.

"So, what's all this about anyway?"

I dropped the charm, looking up at Levi. His gaze hardened slightly.

"There's something you're not telling me, isn't there? A normie human like you, asking to make a pact with a demon like me? You must have some sort of ulterior motive. Go on, spill the beans."

"Okay, you remember when I asked to borrow your vinyl TSL soundtrack? I still need to borrow it."

"AHA!" Levi clapped his hands, pointing right at me. "I knew no one would actually _want_ to make a pact with me. Not like this is surprising or anything." He sighed as he said this last bit, then shrugged. "Well, I don't know what you're planning on doing with my record, but... Just don't sell it, understand?"

"Of course," I promised. "I'm borrowing it, so I have every intention of returning it. And unlike Mammon, it will be in a timely manner."

We began walking towards the house to retrieve the record, Levi continuing on as we did.

"You better, after you've wiped off any fingerprints. And no eating potato chips and stuff when you handle it. It's super, super rare, so you'd better not lose any of the inserts or the sleeve or anything!"

I nodded along with Levi's request, grinning from ear to ear as I finally acquired the final piece in my plan.


	7. The Voice in the Attic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Belle finally makes it to the attic, and what she finds shocks her

I marched triumphantly down the halls of the House of Lamentation, clutching my hard won prize in my hands: the _Tale of the Seven Lords_ vinyl soundtrack. The cover showed an image of the characters from the series arranged in a group with the title written in a fancy script across the top. The back included the list of all the songs from the series itself, as well as a small note declaring the record to be cursed and that the record company was not liable for any wrongful death lawsuits.

"Why is this here?" I wondered aloud.

I decided not to question it, considering the record wasn't for me. Instead, I made my way over to Lucifer's room, giving his door a polite knock.

"The door's open," he called from inside. "Come in."

I opened the door, enter a large room that took my breath away. Everything was spacious and neat, a king sized bed with immaculately folded sheets resting beneath a golden framed painting of fallen angels. A carving of the grim reaper was situated in the corner, looking like he was holding up the room. There was a crackling fireplace with a pair of armchairs on one wall, an ornate record player resting on the mantle with a candelabra and an old photograph. There was even a coffee table and a couch, as well as an ornate desk. It was at this desk that I found Lucifer, pouring over some paperwork.

Lucifer was once more back to his normal self, and out of his school uniform. Despite that, he was still dressed to the nines, reminding me of a butler. He wore a red and black waist coat with white buttons over a grey collared shirt with a long red tie tucked in. His sleeve cuffs were white with black buttons, framing a pair of black gloves. He had simple black pants with a golden chain belt and brown leather shoes. He completed the outfit with a high-collared, fur-lined black coat, the inside of which bore a grey diamond pattern.

"Hi Lucifer," I greeted as I closed the door behind me. "I'm not interrupting anything, am I?"

"Ah, Isabella. No, you're not. I was just finishing some paperwork in the wake of today's fiasco." He set down his pen, lacing his fingers together and leaning back in his chair. "How's your wrist?"

"It'll heal. Trust me, I've done worse to myself."

Lucifer's face became serious, laced with concern and regret.

"I am terribly sorry about what happened, for both my actions and Levi's. You should know he's not normally like that. He may be a high-ranking demon, but he's quite harmless by nature. Try not to hold it against him."

"Don't worry about that. Levi already apologized and we've made amends."

"Ah, that's good to hear." His smile returned, as did his happier tone of voice. "Tell me, what brings you here at this hour? I would have expected you in bed after the day you've had."

"Well, I felt bad about the scene Levi and I made earlier, so the two of us decided to make it up to you." I held out the record, giving Lucifer the most disarming smile I could. "I heard you've been interested in this record, so I convinced Levi to let you borrow it. He does want it back, and in good condition, but I don't think that will be an issue with you."

Lucifer looked at the record, first in complete shock. The, he broke out into a smile, chuckling softly.

"I wondered why you wanted a pact with Levi, and now it makes sense." He took the record, setting it on his desk. "Do you realize what it is you've got here? What it represents?"

"All I know it's an apparently cursed vinyl that you've been wanting to listen to for a while."

"Well, at least you know part of the story. You see, this record here has quite the history." He ran his gloved fingers along the cover. "While I don't have any interest in the story of the _Tale of the Seven Lords,_ I am quite interested in the composer for the TSL movies. He killed himself, and the final song he wrote was meant to be used in the scene where the Lord of Corruption put a curse on the heroes. Unfortunately, due to the composer's suicide, it was not used in the film. They saved it, but didn't release it to the public."

"If that's true, then how did it end up on this record? And why is it cursed?"

"To answer your first question, a group of diehard fans pooled their own funds and had a very limited number of vinyl editions produced, including the one you've brought me. As for the curse, all of the people involved in its creation, as well as every single person who owned a copy of it, ended up dying mysteriously. Eventually, people started saying the record itself was cursed. I had believed all the records destroyed, but Levi had a copy all this time."

"So, I take it you like the offering?"

Lucifer chuckled again, meeting my eye and smiling.

"Indeed. Your offering is accepted and appreciated. I think I'll spend tonight savoring every last note of music… which probably means I won't be able to bring myself to leave my room tonight."

I was barely able to suppress my excited grin, my plan having succeeded in providing me an opening to the attic. Lucifer kept his eyes on me, a knowing glint in them as he kept up his smile.

"As Mammon has no doubt told you, we demons cannot resist temptation. When there's something we really want staring us in the face, we have to have it. That's simply how we are. Right now, what I want is to stay up all night listening to this record. I can't help it… I have to do it." He stood up, taking the record off his desk before approaching his record player. "But don't think that means you're free to go up to the attic. That place is off limits."

"Of course," I lied through my teeth.

Lucifer didn't buy it for a second, but his lust for the record was too much for even him to resist.

"Well then, good night."

"G'night Lucifer."

…

I slipped out of Lucifer's room, closing the door behind me. I had a massive grin on my face as I sprinted back to my room, rushing in and closing the door behind me.

"It worked! Mammon it-!"

I cut myself off when I took stock of the scene before me. Mammon was currently on his knees in front of my wardrobe going through my belongings. Beel was standing behind him, a box in his hand. I recognized the box as my stash of chocolate and snacks I had been stockpiling. From the chocolate crumbs around his mouth and the empty wrappers now filling the box, it was clear he'd demolished my stash.

"Belle!" Mammon cried out, jumping to his feet. "This isn't what it looks like!"

"Oh really?" I questioned, crossing my arms in annoyance. "Because it looks like you were rummaging through my things, exposing my stash of treats to Beel."

"They were good," Beel complimented, setting the box aside. "Where'd you get them?"

"That convenience store down the block," I answered. "Please kindly replace the snacks you ate. I'm saving those for when mother nature comes knocking."

Mammon looked at me like I was crazy, but Beel seemed to understand.

"You got it. Sorry for eating them. I was hungry."

He took the box once more, walking out of the room. I watched him go, then turned my attention to Mammon. In the time I was focused on the sixth oldest brother, he'd taken the time to close all my drawers and shut my wardrobe. He was currently leaning against the doors, trying to appear nonchalant.

"So… I heard you say the plan worked."

"Yes, it did," I admitted, keeping my arms crossed. "Lucifer's gonna be spending the night listening to the record."

"Well then, go on and get up those stairs, Belle. Night's a-wastin'."

I just stood there for a moment, then cocked my head towards the door.

"Right..." Mammon let out, faking a big yawn. "I'm gonna go to bed. Night, Belle."

He made it out the door, where he promptly bolted for his own room. Once I heard the sound of his door slamming shut, I poked my head out. Aside from the sound of the TSL record coming from Lucifer's room, there were no signs of life in the hall. I smirked, then made my way towards the spiral staircase to the attic.

…

I was more than a little giddy when I finally managed to reach the top of the staircase. I kept half expecting to run into Lucifer, but he remained firmly entrenched in his room. However, something else greeted me as I made my way up: the return of the mysterious voice.

"...Belle," the voice called out to me. "Finally, no one is going to stop you. Come, this way. Hurry Belle."

I took the stairs two at a time, eventually coming to a strange door. It reminded me of a trellis, wrought iron flower patterns forming a grid that blocked entrance into the room it led to. I approached the door, peering inside to find a comfortable room filled with various knick-knacks and tchotchkes. A comfortable bed with a wicker headboard and a red canopy rested off to the side, bronze stars and a crescent moon dangling from the ceiling. More swaths of cloth were draped across the support beams, lanterns hanging at every union point.

As I continued looking around the room, a figure suddenly rushed towards the door. It was a boy with shaggy dark hair with white undertones and bright pink eyes that sparkled in the lantern light. He was wearing a hooded shawl jacket with a blue and white striped pocket on the left side of the chest. It was buttoned in the middle and its cuffs were white. It rested over a plain white shirt with a black collar and yellowish brown pants. He had brown, laced leather boots that reach his knees and he was clutching a cow-patterned pillow with a cow tail strapped to it.

"I knew it," the boy said, his voice full of relief and excitement. "I knew you'd be able to find me."

"Who are you?" I asked.

"Who am I?" The boy leaned against the door, looking wistful, yet angry. "That's a good question. I forgot the answer myself, long ago."

"A-Are you a demon?"

"Don't be ridiculous!" the boy stood up straight, looking angry. "Just the thought of being one of them is enough to send a shiver down my spine. I'm a human, just like you."

"How long have you been up here?"

"I don't know..." the boy clutched his pillow tightly, fingers digging into the patterned fabric. "A demon imprisoned me in here long ago, and I've been stuck here ever since."

"Lucifer..." It suddenly made sense why he wanted to keep me, or anyone for that matter, out of the attic. "It had to be him."

"Lucifer, yes." The boy nodded vigorously. "He's the one who locked me in here." He gripped the bars, looking at me with a pleading expression. "Please, I'm begging you Belle, you have to get me out of here."

I immediately began searching the door for a keyhole or a lock. To my surprise, I found neither. In fact, there wasn't even a door handle. The door simply existed, and was not made to be opened.

"I… I don't know if I can. The door's sealed shut and I don't see a way to open it."

"That's because it is sealed," the boy explained. "The door is a manifestation of a powerful binding spell, one neither of us have the capacity to dispel. In order to break the seal, you'll need the consent of Lucifer and all his brothers."

"Oh… well that is definitely easier said than done. I mean, I'm sure I can talk Beel into helping me. Levi and Mammon will be easy too, but Asmo, Satan, and Lucifer? That's gonna be difficult. Lucifer's already threatened to poison me just for trying to come up here."

The boy laughed a bit.

"Relax. Have you forgotten already? You have the power to bend demons to your will. All you have to do is make a pact with the brothers. _All of them._ "

"All of them?"

"All of them. You already have Mammon and Levi under your thumb. Doing the same to the rest of them will be simple."

Red flags kept popping up, the little voice in my head warning me that there was something fishy about this mysterious prisoner. First off, he knew my name despite having never met me. Second, he knew I was human. Third, he'd said he'd been here for so long despite being human, and yet he barely looked out of his teens. Finally, he somehow knew about my pacts, despite the fact that I had just made the one with Levi barely an hour ago.

"Hold on, back up," I insisted. "How do you know about me and my pacts?"

"Voices travel through the walls, Belle. Now enough questions, please. You're the only one who can help me. You're my sole ray of hope in this bleak, bleak world."

I let out a long sigh, which the boy took as leave to continue.

"Start by gaining their trust, but whatever you do, do not tell them you came here and spoke with me."

"Where would I even start?"

"Beelzebub. He's your best bet. Get close to him and make a pact with him."

"I'll try..." I told the boy in a non-committal tone, still unsure about what was going on.

"Then we have a deal," the boy beamed, squeezing his pillow happily. "I'm counting on you, Belle."

I took that as my cue to leave, retreating down the stairs. More and more questions continued circulating through my head, all of them centered on the imprisoned boy. Who was he? What did he do to get locked up? Why did it seem like he knew more than he was letting on? Was he really human?

…

The next morning at breakfast, I was dressed and ready for a new week of school. As I shuffled into the dining room, Lucifer walked up next to me, smiling happily.

"Good Morning, Isabella."

"Morning," I greeted through a yawn.

"I must say, I enjoyed last night immensely. I listened to that record over and over… I can't tell you how many times. Unfortunately, I'm running on far too little sleep today, but I'm in a good mood."

I looked up at Lucifer, not noticing any sign of fatigue. I knew I wasn't so lucky, having had to use an entire tube of concealer to cover up the big bags under my eyes. Apparently I didn't do a good enough job because Lucifer saw right through me.

"I see you didn't get much sleep either. Did something happen last night to keep you up?"

"Just had trouble sleeping," I answered, yawning again. "Throbbing wrist didn't make it easy."

"I see." Lucifer's voice dropped in volume and his face grew serious. "Let me give you some advice: You should focus on surviving this year here, finishing the exchange program and going back to the human world. That's all you need to concern yourself with."

My sleep-deprived brain took a moment to process what Lucifer was saying. It apparently took too long because Lucifer spoke up again.

"Let me make it a bit clearer. 'Curiosity killed the cat.' Surely you've heard this expression? Well, curiosity can very literally get _you_ killed here as well." He smirked, but there was no amusement in his face, only cold cruelty. "Hmm, I guess that's more what you'd call a word of warning than a piece of advice. ...eh, why split hairs?" He looked me dead in the eye. "Forget all about what happened last night. I allowed you to satisfy your own curiosity, but rest assured, it won't happen again."

He walked ahead after that and I swallowed hard, wondering just how big of a can of worms I had just opened.


	8. The Demon Twins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An incident with Mammon and Beel causes Belle to lose her room, and learn more about the prisoner in the attic

One of the benefits of attending school at RAD was that there were a number of breaks offered in between classes. This meant I had an opportunity to recharge from particularly stressful classes, or just from rough days in general. Today was one of those days, my lack of sleep and Lucifer's thinly veiled threat making me rather strung out. As such, when break came around, I took the opportunity to just bury my head in my arms to try and get some sleep.

Joining me in my small respite was Mammon, who was sitting next to me with his lunch box in his lap. He was munching happily on his food, beaming the entire time.

"Ahh..." he sighed in contentment. "Nothin' beats a fried scorpion sandwich with vinegar and tartar sauce for a late morning snack. In a bento box with all the fixings, of course."

I just mumbled sleepily into my arm, adjusting myself to get comfortable. As I did, I noticed Beel sitting on the other side of me. His eyes were locked on Mammon's lunchbox and I swear he was drooling. Mammon noticed Beel's stares and put a protective arm around his lunchbox.

"Beel, stop it."

"Stop what?" Beel questioned.

"Stop looking at my food like that. It's like you're devouring it with your eyes!"

"I don't want it."

This confused both me and Mammon. I actually sat up, facing Beel.

"Hang on, did you just say you didn't want food?" I asked.

"Yeah!" Mammon exclaimed. "You're actually telling me you don't want this crazy good fried scorpion sandwich with vinegar and tartar sauce?! Are you sick?! Is this the day hell freezes over?!"

"Nope, none of the above," Beel assured us. "I just don't like your cooking Mammon."

I snorted loudly, covering my mouth with one hand at Beel's blunt reply. Mammon just glared at his brother, taking an indignant bite of his sandwich.

"Wow, rude much? That really hurts, ya know. And for the record, I _didn't_ make this. I got it from a witch who gave it to me as an offering."

Before I could ask for clarification on this, Beel reached over and took the sandwich.

"Alright then, I'll take it."

"Hey, hey, hey!" Mammon tried in vain to reclaim his morning snack. "Who said you could have my sandwich?! I don't remember offerin' it to ya!"

Unfortunately, it was too late. In three seconds flat, Beel had inhaled the sandwich, gulping it down with a satisfied smile. Mammon looked red in the face.

"Beel! You better pay me back for that! I want money! Or gemstones! You owe me!"

Beel just shrugged.

"Sorry, I don't have any of that."

Mammon growled at his brother, then turned to me with an indignant look.

"Hey, Belle!" Don't just sit there watching! Say something!"

"Guys, just leave me out of this," I begged, laying back down on the table. "I am too tired to care right now."

"Too tired to care?!" Mammon sputtered. "You have to care! This is my food we're talking about here! I think I'm gonna cry!"

I just let out a groan, burying my head deeper into my arms. However, that's when I felt a warm aura approaching us. I cocked my head to the side to see Simeon approaching, Luke right on his heels. The taller angel gave the three of us a wave, smiling kindly.

"Hey there you three. It's so nice to see how well you're all getting along."

Mammon snorted in amusement, shaking his head.

"I don't know if that's angelic wishful thinking or delusions, but what part of this looks like we're getting along? We're about ready to kill each other!"

Luke poked his head out from behind Simeon, glaring at Mammon with a look that would kill him if it had the power.

"Don't you dare speak to Simeon that way, demon! Show some respect!"

I lifted up an arm, giving the angels a two fingered wave.

"Hey Simeon, Chihuahua."

"Not you too!" Luke whined, turning red. "My name is Luke, and I am not a Chihuahua!"

"Hey Fido, stop yipping at Belle, got it?" Mammon snapped, pushing Luke's beret over the short angel's eyes. "She's trying to sleep here."

Luke sputtered, removing his beret. He flattened his hair once again, then stuck his beret back on.

"How dare you treat me this way?!" He stomped his foot, turning even redder. "Now listen to me. I may not look important to you, but I'll have you know that I report directly to Michael-!"

"Right, uh-huh." Mammon droned on, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "It's always 'Michael this, Michael that' with you."

"Listen to me when I'm talking to you, demon!"

Simeon put a hand on Luke's shoulder, giving Mammon a stern look.

"Mammon, I know how cute Luke is when he's frustrated, but I think you've harassed him enough. I'd appreciate it if you'd stop."

"Yes, please," I pleaded, groaning into my arms. "Morning break will be over soon and I haven't been able to nap yet."

"Sorry, sorry," Mammon muttered. "It's just, it's so hard not to. It's too much fun, right Beel?"

"I bet he tastes good," Beel remarked.

"I am _not_ fun to harass, and I _don't_ taste good!" Luke insisted.

I snorted and sat up, realizing I was not going to get my much needed nap. I scratched at my scalp, groaning.

"No offense to either of you, Simeon, but what do you want? You guys wouldn't come over here and strike up a conversation if you didn't want something."

"Astute as ever, Belle," Simeon commended. "As it just so happens, Luke and I are planning to go on a camping trip soon. I thought it would be a good way to have fun and get to know each other better, so I came to invite you all."

"Camping?" Mammon moaned. "Come on Simeon, not another one of your lame ideas. Camping is a total drag. Tell 'im, Beel."

Beel didn't seem to agree with Mammon's sentiment. In fact, the idea had the gluttonous demon smiling.

"Camping..." he mused. "That means a cookout. Ooh! And roasting marshmallows. I'm in."

Mammon sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Ya see, this is your problem, Beel. You've gotta quit lettin' your stomach make decisions for you." He then turned to me expectantly. "How about you, Belle? How do you feel about this camping thing?"

"Well, I haven't been camping since I was a kid, and I won't turn down a chance to make s'mores. I'm in too."

Mammon groaned, his head drooping.

"I was afraid you'd say that… Why do I have to be about you people? You're all such a drag."

I just shrugged, not really caring. Simeon seemed to share my sentiment, his smile never leaving his face.

"Well, the invitation is still open should you change your mind." His D.D.D. began ringing, drawing his attention. "Apologies, I best take this. It was lovely seeing you three again."

He walked off to take his call, Luke preparing to follow. The small angel paused before he did, glancing back at me and meeting my eye. He didn't say a word, but I could almost hear the warning he had given me back when I first met him. I had passed it off as remaining tension between the Celestial Realm and Devildom, but considering the mystery boy in the attic, and Lucifer's multiple threats to kill me, I was beginning to question that assumption.

"Hey, Fido," Mammon spoke up. "Shouldn't you be headin' off with your friend there?"

Luke broke eye contact, bristling visibly.

"Don't tell me what to do. As it happens, I _am_ leaving, but _not_ because you told me to." He started walking off, but not before getting the last word in. "Also, _my name's not Fido, okay?!_ "

He disappeared, seconds before the bell let out its mournful toll. I groaned, burying my face in my arms and wishing for the day to be over.

…

At the end of the day, I made a beeline for my room. I dropped my books on my desk, shrugged out of my tunic, undid my ribbon tie, discarded them over a chair, and then proceeded to flop face first onto my bed. I was done with mysteries and drama for the day, wanting nothing more than to sleep. I still didn't trust the boy in the attic, sensing that he was trying to pull the wool over my eyes.

I was so lost in thought that I almost didn't hear my D.D.D. go off. With a great amount of reluctance, I got up, fishing into the pocket of my tunic to find the device. My message app was trembling, signaling I had a message.

**Mammoney: I'm feeling a little hungry.**

**Mammoney: Come meet me in the kitchen. Now.**

I groaned before typing my reply.

**Tinker Belle: Mammon, I'm tired and cranky. I'm going to bed.**

I was prepared to set my phone down, but it went off almost immediately after.

**Mammoney: Please just come?**

**Mammoney: I promise it's not because I'm afraid Lucifer might catch me if I go alone.**

I raised an eyebrow at the screen. Before I even had a chance to begin a reply, another message came through.

**Mammoney: Seriously, that's not what this is about! For real, it isn't!**

I sighed, realizing he wasn't going to let up until I met him in the kitchen. I shoved my D.D.D. into my pocket, then made my way down to the kitchen.

…

"Took ya long enough," Mammon snapped as I entered the kitchen. "Listen, when I call you, you need to come lickety-split. I'm hungry and I'm in a bad mood to boot."

" _You're_ in a bad mood? I'm cranky as hell and I'm in serious need of sleep."

Mammon gave me a dismissive wave, heading over to the fridge.

"Whatever. Maybe we can find something good in the fridge to take our minds off our foul moods." He opened the door, taking a look at the contents. "And of course, there's nothin' good in here."

I bent down to take a look, then spied a custard tucked into the corner.

"Hang on, what about that custard?"

Mammon looked at it, grinned, then grabbed it and thrusted it into my hand.

"Nice eye, and to the victor, the spoils."

I smirked, snagging a spoon from the silverware drawer. I popped the lid about took a bite, the creamy texture instantly making me feel less cranky. I popped another spoonful in my mouth as I turned back to the fridge.

"This is good. I'm surprised you didn't take it for yours-" I cut myself off when I saw Mammon hastily stuff a piece of paper in his pocket. "What was that?"

Mammon turned to me, doing his best to appear innocent.

"What was what?"

"That paper you just stuffed into your pocket. What aren't you telling me?"

"Nothing! There's no paper and there's nothing wrong!"

I gave him a deadpan stare and held out my hand.

"Give me the paper."

Mammon yelped as his hand moved of its own accord, reaching into his pocket and pulling out the paper. I snatched it up when he offered it to me, uncrumbling it and opening it. It was a small note with a single piece of tape on it. It read, "Property of Beelzebub. You eat it, you die". I read those words again, then slowly glanced down at the custard in my other hand. Suddenly, everything made sense.

"Mammon… is this Beel's custard?"

"It's custard."

"Did you bring me down here so you could get revenge on Beel for eating your morning snack and I would take the blame?"

"No! I just wanted a snack and I figured you'd like the custard, so I gave it to you."

"You gave me Beel's custard, with a clear note declaring that anyone who ate it would die!" I crumbled up the note and threw it at Mammon. "I can't believe this! Actually, I can! You really are the scum of the Devildom!"

"Hey!" Mammon got in my face. "I was trying to be nice, okay?! See if I let you have the good snacks aga-"

"What's going on in here?" Beel's voice suddenly called out.

Mammon went pale and my blood went cold. Slowly, we both turned to see the Avatar of Gluttony standing over us. His expression was hard to read, until he laid eyes on the custard in my hand. His eyes then traveled down to the ground, where the crumbled note was resting at Mammon's feet.

"Is that my custard?" He questioned coldly.

"I didn't know it was yours when I ate it!" I hastily explained. "Mammon took the note before I saw it! I wouldn't have eaten it if I-!"

"You traitorous bitch!" Mammon shouted. "Beel, the custard's in her hand, and that's her spoon! She ate it, not me!"

"I am not taking the fall for your revenge, Mammon!"

Before our argument could move beyond that, both Mammon and I became aware of an aura of rage manifesting around Beel. He grabbed the custard from my hand, crushing it in his grip and completely mangling the spoon. Even worse, he began to transform right before our eyes, revealing his true demonic form.

He had a pair of black, ridged horns that curled around his head like a circlet. He had a black shirt with a grey flame pattern on the right side under a black punk jacket with a high collar. The collar had a buckle dangling from it and two patches of gold spikes on either arm. The coat only came to halfway down his hips, a pair of insectoid wings visible from his back. He wore a pair of black pants with black cowboy boots and a white belt hanging off his hip. This dark color scheme only made him even more intimidating as he got in our faces.

"You… ate… my… _CUSTARD?!_ "

I screamed, Mammon screamed, and Beel lunged at us.

…

Beel, Mammon and I stood before Lucifer, who observed the three of us like a mother scolding unruly children. I was covered in stone dust, drywall, and wood splinters. Mammon was similarly coated, but also possessed several bruises, a split lip, and a bloody nose. Beel, who was thankfully back to normal, had his knuckles bruised badly, but was otherwise unharmed.

The same could not be said for the kitchen, was completely and utterly destroyed. The fridge was embedded in the wall, water leaking onto the floor. The oven had been completely crushed, the indent of a person in the metal. The wall leading into the dining hall was utterly demolished, the doors trampled to death on the ground. Even worse, there was a massive hole in the ceiling where the stove fan had been. Said hole led right into my room, giving anyone a worm's eye view of the contents.

"So," Lucifer began, using that tone parents reserve for serious offenses. "Who wants to tell me what happened here?"

"I was hungry, so I went to the kitchen lookin' for something to eat. I invited Belle because I figured she could use a snack too..." Mammon began. "I was digging through the fridge, then Beel suddenly came up and attacked us!"

"You ate _my_ custard," Beel defended.

" _I_ didn't eat it, Belle did." Mammon pointed right at me.

"I didn't _know_ it was Beel's when you gave it to me," I retorted. "You set me up to take the fall for _your_ revenge scheme!"

"I didn't know it was Beel's either!" Mammon tried.

"Liar!" Beel snapped. "I wrote my name on it and everything!"

"Yeah, you pocketed the note, remember?" I jabbed Mammon in the chest. "'Property of Beelzebub. You eat it, _you die_ '!"

Mammon looked away from both of us.

"I have… no idea what you're talking about. Besides, Belle's the one that ate it, so why am I the only one who got attacked? You didn't even touch her, but you broke my nose and busted my lip!"

"Because Belle's just as much a victim as me," Beel explained. "You dragged her into this and tried to use her as a sacrificial lamb. Well guess what, I saw right through it."

Lucifer sighed, the noise snapping our attention back on him.

"So, let me see if I've got this straight. Mammon was hungry, so he went rummaging for food, dragging Isabella along with him. When he found Beel's custard, he tricked his unwitting accomplice into eating. The end result was when Beel found out, he lost control of himself and went on a rampage."

"Less rampage, more rage-induced beat-down," I corrected.

"Very well," Lucifer allowed. "In the wake of said rage-induced beat-down, the kitchen ended up getting destroyed, including the floor of Isabella's room." he glared directly at Mammon. "All because you wanted to avenge a sandwich."

"Yeah, that pretty much sums it up..." Mammon said, removing the tissue from his nose and chucking it into Lucifer's desk trash can.

"My custard..." Beel moaned.

"Sorry, Lucifer," I apologized.

Lucifer sighed heavily.

…

For the next three hours, Lucifer lectured the three of us on our behavior. I received a tongue lashing for not stopping Mammon's shenanigans and allowing myself to be dragged into trouble. He cited my already injured wrist and how I could have been hurt worse or even killed in the resulting fight. He insisted I should have come and gotten him before the damage became as bad as it did.

Beel received a stern warning against giving into his anger over a simple desert. He informed Beel that his behavior was completely uncalled for and was given a detailed list of everything that would need to be replaced and repaired, complete with prices. He also went on about endangering me and how if I had been hurt, then he would have made himself, all of the brothers, and Lord Diavolo look bad. They were pushing their luck as is with my sprained wrist and they did not need another incident. He wrapped up with warning Beel to keep his temper and hunger in check in the future.

Finally, Mammon was chewed out for everything under the sun. He ranted about his pettiness, his lying, and his underhanded attitude. He called him a large plethora of names, variations of scum being a crowd favorite. He told him that costs for the kitchen would be coming out of his earnings from his modeling jobs, shutting down protests before they even began. He made it clear that if something like this happened again, he would make Mammon wish he was never born.

"So, now that we've got that straight, I expect each of you to learn something from all of this," Lucifer concluded.

"Yes, Lucifer..." Mammon droned.

Beel just nodded, and I did the same. Lucifer turned to me as I did this, his lecture tone becoming his normal tone.

"Isabella, since your room is currently lacking a large chunk of the floor, not to mention major wiring will need to be replaced in order to fully repair the kitchen, I'm afraid we'll have to find somewhere else for you to sleep."

"Where?" I questioned. "I don't think there are any spare bedrooms here."

"No, so for the time being, you'll be staying in Beel's room."

"Wait, what?!" Mammon exclaimed, looking flustered and angry. "Now just a second. Why're ya puttin' Belle in _his_ room? There's plenty of space in my room, right? And I'm supposed to be lookin' after her anyhow!"

"I am not staying in your room, Mammon," I declared curtly. "It smells like a gym locker room."

"Besides," Lucifer added with a hint of amusement in his voice, "you shouldn't get jealous over such a trivial matter. The reason Beel's room is ideal is because there is a second bed there."

This information came as a surprise, confirming my theory that Beel did indeed share a room with the seventh brother. I was curious why the bed was available, but I decided not to question it. Mammon, on the other hand, had some questions of his own.

"Jealous? Me?!" He snorted, waving a hand. "As if. I'm not jealous. I'm just saying that Belle made a pact with me, remember?"

He held up his wrist, shaking the golden bracelet that represented our pact. Lucifer just pushed his wrist back down.

"Your pact is irrelevant. She's staying in Beel's room, and that's final." He glanced over at Beel. "Understand, Beel?"

Beel didn't look angry or put off by the decision. He just looked resigned.

"Yeah, I understand," he said softly.

…

It took some time to gather up my stuff, maneuvering myself carefully around the massive hole in my floor. Once I had all my clothes and school supplies, I carried them down the hall to Beel's room. He was leaning against the door frame, waiting for me.

"Need help?"

"Please, it's hard to carry all this with one hand."

Beel took my stuff from me, lifting it all with one arm like it was nothing. I got the door, pushing it open so we could enter. To my surprise, the room was perfectly divided down the middle, the two sides complete mirrors of each other. The side on the left was painted a warm red color, a sun motif emblazoned in gold above a modest bed with plaid sheets. There was an armchair with a lamp, a hope chest, a wardrobe, and a couch, all various shades of red. The walls were covered with pictures of clouds and summer, everything about that side of the room, feeling happy and inviting.

The other half of the room was a deep purple with a moon and stars motif over the bed. The furniture was all various shades of purple and the pictures showed starry skies, nebulas, and moonlit views. This side was inviting in a completely different way, a relaxing, comfortable atmosphere to it. I felt like I could just peacefully exist on this side of the room, resting quietly and letting my cares melt away.

Knowing Beel and his generally outgoing personality, I figured the left side of the room was his. As such, I turned towards the right side. I made it one step onto the purple threshold when Beel's hand took hold my shoulder.

"No," he requested gently. "Don't use that bed. Use my bed, the one on the left."

I looked back at Beel as he set down my stuff on top of his hope chest.

"But what about you? Where will you sleep?"

"I'll sleep on the couch," he answered, gesturing to the red couch.

I was confused, and more than a little worried. Beel's expression was incredibly heartbroken and I swear I saw tears glistening in his ears. I put my hand over his, giving him a sympathetic look.

"Beel, whose bed is that?"

Beel didn't answer for the longest time. Instead, he gently released my shoulder, sitting down on his bed and rubbing his face. I sat down next to him, patiently resting a hand on his back. He let out a shaky breath, lower his hand and closing his eyes.

"My twin brother's. His name is Belphegor."

"Did something happen to him?"

"Not quite. He's in the human world right now as an exchange student with Diaval."

"I see… You must miss him."

"There's… there's more to it than that, Belle." Beel began wringing his hands. "You see, Belphie had a falling out with Lucifer before the program started. Because of that, he was chosen to be one of the exchange students."

"Oh… He didn't want to go, did he?"

"No, but Lucifer forced him to. That's why you can't mention Belphie's name in front of him."

"I won't, I promise." I glanced over at the right side of the room, curiosity gnawing at me the more I did. "What was Belphie like? He's the Avatar of Sloth right? Explains why his side of the room is so calm and cozy."

"Belphie is my complete opposite. To be honest, the only reason we're considered twins is because our father created us at the same time. Despite this, Belphie and I always got along." A wistful smile graced Beel's face the more he spoke. "We had a little sister, Lilith, who would always hang around us too. The three of us were inseparable."

"Were?" I repeated.

Beel's smile faced, the sadness returning.

"...it was a long time ago."

"So, where's Lilith? Is she an exchange student too? Am I sleeping in her room?"

Beel fell silent, then he rose off the bed.

"I don't feel like talking about them anymore."

"Okay, okay," I gave a nod, not wanting to push. "You sure about me sleeping in your bed? I'll take the couch if you want."

"No, I broke your floor, so it's only fair you get my bed. I'll be fine with the couch."

He walked off after that, leaving the room and closing the door behind him. I watched him go, then turned my attention towards the purple bed. For some reason, my mind began drifting back up to the mysterious boy in the attic. The boy who seemed to know a surprising amount about the brothers despite being a human. The boy who had insisted on me not mentioning him to any of the brothers. The boy who had suggested I try to make a pact with Beel next, as if he knew Beel would be the easiest to sway.

"It couldn't be…" I whispered to myself, "Could it?"

I got up, approaching the purple side of the room. I looked at the various pictures on the wall, looking for any portraits of Belphie. I struck gold when I found one resting in a small frame on the nightstand. It showed Beel leaning on the shoulder of the boy from the attic, smiling as he did.

"It's him… Belphie..."

I stumbled backwards, the pieces falling into place. Before I even realized what I was doing, I was out of the bedroom, making tracks for the attic.

…

I'm not sure if he heard my footsteps or what, but the boy was waiting by the trellis gate when I got to the top of the stairs. I was out of breath, my hands shaking from adrenaline and from the realization.

"Belle, hello," He greeted. "I didn't expect to see you so soon. What brings you-?"

"I know who you are."

The boy stopped mid-sentence.

"I know you're Belphegor."

Belphie looked at me, then sighed, closing his eyes.

"You really are a clever one. You figured it out must faster than I thought you would." He smiled at me, giving a small wave. "I am indeed Belphegor, the Avatar of Sloth and the youngest of the demon brothers."

"Why did you lie to me? Why feed me some bullshit story about not knowing who you were? Or try and pass yourself off as human?"

Belphie shrugged.

"Honestly, I was bored. I've been up here for weeks with nothing to do and I wanted to have some fun. I figured you'd figure out the truth eventually, even if you were a stupid, foolish human."

I sighed at the insult.

"Wow, you really are Beel's complete opposite."

That caught Belphie's attention. He straightened up, holding his pillow to his chest.

"Beel… he told you about me, didn't he?"

"Yeah. He and the others think you're in the human world as an exchange student."

Belphie snorted.

"Oh man, is that what he told them? Man I can't _wait_ to see the looks on their faces when they find out Lucifer locked me in this filthy attic."

"Why haven't you called your brothers for help? I'm pretty sure they'd help you if they could."

"No, they can't know about this." Belphie gripped the designs of the trellis tightly. "Listen to me, if my brothers learned about my current situation, they'd fly into a rage and confront Lucifer."

"Considering Beel destroyed the kitchen over a custard, I can only imagine the destruction rage of this magnitude would do."

"Exactly. The entire Devildom would be enveloped in a war so destructive, even the human world would feel its effects."

"So, what do we do?"

"We find a peaceful resolution. I'm sure Beel told you that Lucifer has a disagreement before I 'left'. I know that if Lucifer and I were able to have a proper, face-to-face talk, I could explain myself. He would realize that our falling out was just a misunderstanding and we could work things out."

"You're being surprisingly cordial in all this."

"I've had a lot of time to think, locked up alone in here. All I want is to get out of here, find Lucifer, and just talk. I swear to you." He looked me in the eye, his bright pink eyes pleading as hard as they could. "Please Belle, you have to believe me."

"Belphie, I-" I hesitated, trying to find the right words. "I don't know if you're lying to me. I mean, locking up his own brother for a disagreement? You have to realize how that sounds."

"I do, and if I had a way to prove I was telling the truth, I would. You're the only one I can count on to help me, Belle."

I backed away. Belphie sighed, backing away as well.

"I get it though." he turned away, nails digging into his pillow. "If you change your mind, you know where to find me."

He went over to the bed, laying down and curling into a ball, hugging his pillow tighter than ever. I watched him for a brief moment, then went back down the stairs to consider everything I had learned.

...

I spent my first night in Beel's room just staring at my host. He curled up on the couch, clad only in his fleece pajama bottoms, muttering in his sleep. I heard the words Belphie and Lilith used multiple times, his face completely heartbroken. I felt bad, knowing that my questions about the seventh brother had been the cause of all this strife in the gluttonous demon.

...

The next morning, Beel's melancholy remained. I found him out in the planetarium, talking to Lucifer about something. When I took a moment to listen in, I wasn't too shocked to discover Belphie to be the topic of discussion.

"I haven't heard anything from Belphie up in the human world," Beel said, playing with his sleeve.

"He's probably been busy," Lucifer supplied, his poker face remaining impeccable and untraceable. "The life of an exchange student is a busy one."

"Belphie was against the whole exchange program from the start. I know he didn't want to go to the human world of all places."

Lucifer's poker face actually faltered for a moment, remorse leaking through the cracks.

"No, I don't imagine he did."

"Come on, Lucifer. You have to forgive Belphie and let him come home. I'll even take his place if I have to."

A piece of my heart actually broke at the desperate pleas. I put a hand over my mouth to stifle any noises I would unintentionally make. Unfortunately, Lucifer was not as easily moved.

"No."

"But-"

"No, Beel. You understand Diavolo's dream, don't you?"

Beel hesitated for a moment before answering.

"...for angels, demons, and humans to recognize, accept, and respect one another. And to create a new world together-"

"Exactly," Lucifer nodded. "The first step towards that goal is this exchange program. But Belphegor opposed it. I will eliminate anyone who tries to stand in the way of Diavolo's dream..." he fist clenched tightly. "...no matter who they might be. Even if it's my own brother."

Both Beel and I were stunned. Lucifer's cold tone and ruthless promise were positively gut wrenching. I felt betrayed by his words, and I could only imagine how Beel felt. Lucifer must have noticed Beel's reaction because his tone softened once more.

"Beel, it's not that I don't understand how you feel. Belphie is your twin brother, and you were especially close to him. So, with that said, answer me this. Who would you choose to side with, Belphegor or me?"

I gasped into my hand, barely able to comprehend what I was hearing. He was making Beel choose?! That was just sick and wrong! Beel was equally stunned as he didn't seem to have an answer. He just looked at the ground, looking torn beyond belief.

"...so he can't manage to answer, eh?" mammon's voice said from right next to me. "That's just like Beel..."

I barely suppressed a squeal of surprise, turning to Mammon with shock, fear, and anger.

"What?" He whispered. "Don't look at me like that. You were eavesdropping too." He took hold of my free hand. "Come on, we'll be caught if we stay here too long."

…

Mammon and I retreated to the dining room, where he requested I tell him what was going on. Needing to get what I could off my chest, I told him about my talk with Beel last night. I left out the truth about Belphie for obvious reasons, just telling Mammon what I knew about his and Lucifer's disagreement, as well as its effect of Beel. To his credit, Mammon genuinely listened to me.

"I'm surprised Beel told you about Belphie, much less Lilith. Not bad, for a human."

"Mammon, I'm grasping at straws here. What's going on? Why is Lucifer acting this way? You have to explain this to me. Please."

Mammon sighed, sitting down and removing his sunglasses.

"It's not…" he took a shaky breath. "It's difficult to explain."

"Please… try."

I did my best not to word it like an order. I don't know if I failed or if Mammon was just trying to be accommodating, but he slid his glasses back on and faced me.

"Okay, I'll try… You see, we were all actually angels up in the Celestial realm once upon a time. Back then, Lucifer was very fond of Beel, Belphie, and Lilith. He loved those three. But… after we Fell, capital F, things changed. Lucifer pledged himself to Diavolo, putting his desires before everything else, no matter what. Even if he doesn't agree with it, he just goes along without any question."

"Wow..."

"I know, but anyway, that's what brought this on. When Lord Diavolo suggested this exchange program thing, Belphie opposed it. Lucifer refused to listen to a word he said. He just sent him up to the human world and that was that. I mean, I'm not sayin Belphie could have changed his mind, but if the two of them would've just talked it out… things would've turned out different..."

Belphie's words rang in my ears, his desire to speak with his brother and work things out. Beel's heartbroken face and his quiet cries in his sleep just cemented my resolve.

"Thanks Mammon." I got to my feet. "You were a big help."

Mammon looked shocked by the praise, which melted into a warm, genuine smile as I got up and walked out of the dining room.

…

"Belphie," I called out softly.

Belphie rolled over on his bed, seeing me standing before the door. He looked surprised by my presence, but nevertheless got up, tucking his pillow under his arm as he approach me.

"Well, this is certainly unexpected. I didn't think you'd be coming back anytime soon, or at all for that matter."

"I'll do it," I declared. "I'll help you get out of here."

Belphie blinked, then gave me a relieved smile.

"Thank you..." he wiped his eyes, hiding tears of happiness. "But, why? I thought you didn't trust me. What changed your mind?"

"I'm doing this for Beel. I hate seeing him caught in the middle of all this."

"I get it. Believe me I do. However, you must remember that no one can know I'm up here. Let them keep believing I'm an exchange student. It's for the best."

"Okay Belphie, I promise."

I turned to walk away, but then felt a hand on my sleeve. I stopped, turning back to Belphie. He retracted his hand, meeting my eyes.

"Thank you… for coming back."

I gave him a smile, nodded, then retreated from the attic.


	9. The Runaway Dog

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luke stays at the House of Lamentation for awhile, and Belle learns some more about the brothers, including a secret from before The Fall

Ever have one of those days where everything's going great, then something happens that completely throws a wrench in your plans? For me, that wrench took the form of a text I received a week or two after my decision to help Belphie. I was just meandering around the House of Lamentation, no real idea of what to do with myself, when I felt my D.D.D. vibrate. I glanced down to find I had a message from Luke.

**Angeluke: Can you come outside now?**

**Angeluke: I'm in front of the House of Lamentation.**

I looked at the messages in surprise, then moved towards one of the windows that led outside. Sure enough, Luke was standing by the front gate, tapping his foot and looking around. Curiosity getting the better of me, I went outside to meet him.

...

"Belle!" He cheered happily as I approached the gate. "You came, thank you! I was worried someone would see me. I can't let people witness me willingly approaching a place like this."

"What are you doing here, Luke?" I wondered. "You've made it quite clear you hate the brothers, and you're even insulting my host home as we speak."

"I need your help. Believe me, I wouldn't have come to this den of demons if it wasn't important." He looked me in the eyes. "I need you to let me spend the night in your room."

"...what?"

"Please, I'm begging you!" He gripped onto the hem of my hoodie, looking at me desperately. "You have to let me spend the night in your room!"

"Luke… I-"

Luke shot me with the best puppy dog eyes I have ever seen. His child-like physique and desperate voice only added to them, especially when he threw in a pathetic whimper. It was too much for me to resist.

"Okay… okay, you can stay."

"Yes!" Luke cheered.

I winced, holding up a single finger.

"There's just…" I cocked the finger slightly, "one little catch."

…

Luke stood in the middle of Beel's room, staring down the demon. Beel was sitting on the couch, arms crossed as he met the diminutive angel's eyes.

"Belle," Luke spoke up, "this isn't what I was talking about at all. I believe I asked to stay in _your_ room."

"And you are," I assured him. "My room just happens to be Beel's room, so if you want to spend the night with me, you have to spend it with him too."

"But why? I thought you had your own room! Why don't you have your own room?!"

"You're too loud," Beel admonished, "Unless you want the entire house to learn you're here, keep your voice down."

"Answer the question!" Luke demanded.

"Okay, okay," I waved him down. "Long story short, my room is currently off limits due to a massive hole in the floor."

That through Luke for a loop.

"What? What happened? Is that why your wrist got hurt?"

I unconsciously stuck my injured wrist behind my back.

"My wrist has nothing to do with my room getting damaged, and as for what happened, let's just say Mammon's gonna think twice before taking custard that doesn't belong to him."

Now Luke looked even more confused.

"Custard?"

"Look, bottom line is that Lucifer ordered us to share a room," Beel summarized. "We don't have a choice, so there. Besides, I don't remember asking anyone to pick up a _dog_ from the street and bring it back here, not to mention one that never stops _barking._ "

"Hey!" Luke began shaking his fists in childish anger. "Don't compare me to a dog! Anyway, I wasn't _picked up off the street_! I came here of my own free will!"

Beel just sighed, then grabbed a pitcher of pomegranate juice from off the table. He'd been studying when I brought Luke in and had the juice on standby for when he was thirsty. He took a clean cup, pouring some of the juice into it before handing it to Luke.

"Here, drink this and try and calm down."

Luke looked at the red juice with serious trepidation. To make him feel better, I poured myself a glass and took a swig, ensuring him that it was good. Realizing that Beel meant him no harm, Luke looked genuinely surprised.

"Beelzebub? Why are you being so nice to me? It's creeping me out."

"Because you gave me cake once."

"Wait, cake?" I questioned, turning to Luke. "When did you give him cake?"

"I don't-" He then perked, realization dawning. "Oh, you're talking about that one time..."

"Hey, don't leave me in the dark," I insisted. "Spill!"

"It's nothing important really, but in recent years, I've actually been learning how to bake cakes and pastries and things."

"Cool," I commended.

"No, no, it's not that impressive." Luke was blushing at the praise, smiling a bit. "I mean, I've only been doing it for about 300 years or so, I'm still an amateur. You see, Michael loves sweets of all kinds, so I'd like to present him with a cake I made myself someday. That's why I'm doing it."

"And I'm guessing the exchange didn't stop you from continuing your passion?" I surmised.

"Nope," Luke shook his head. "Not too long ago, I was testing out a new recipe when Beel happened to walk by. He was he was hungry, so I offered to let him taste test for me."

"And he basically inhaled your entire cake, right?"

Beel nodded, rubbing his stomach and smiling.

"Just thinking back on it makes me wish I could have some right now..."

"I was hoping he'd just taste test, but he ate every last crumb without even stopping to taste it!"

Beel turned to Luke with a smile.

"It was good, and I said as much back then."

I laughed, shaking my head and holding my forehead as I sat down on the couch next to Beel.

"Beel, when doing a taste test, one needs to hear more than 'it's good'." I then just sat up, facing Luke. "Anyways, we're way off topic now. Why exactly are you so keen on staying with me?"

Luke's smile disappeared and he looked away, reminding me of a little kid with his hand caught in the cookie jar.

"Well… I-... This is all Simeon's fault. I wouldn't be here if it weren't for him."

"Oh?" I questioned. "Why is that?"

"Because he's getting way too chummy with these demons." He straightened up, pounding a fist against his chest. "We are _angels_ , proud inhabitants of the Celestial Realm! And what's more, we report directly to Michael the Archangel himself! Yet, because of this exchange program, we've been sent down here to the Devildom of all places - and what's more, we're supposed to _associate_ with demons! It's unbelievable! I mean, we're talking about DEMONS here! Just the idea of speaking with one face-to-face is repulsive!"

Beel leaned over slightly, whispering in my ear.

"Did he forget I'm actually a demon?"

I shrugged as Luke continued his rant. By now, the angel had discarded his juice and was pacing around the carpet.

"If we go making friends with _demons_ , what do you think is going to happen next, huh? I'll tell you what: we'll be corrupted! I'm always warning him about this, but he _ignores_ me. Then, he just leaves to have tea with Diavolo… He even suggested that I ask Barbatos to instruct me in the finer points of baking pastries and cakes! Can you believe it?! I mean, sure it's said that Barbatos is the greatest pastry chef in all the three worlds, but he's a _DEMON!_ "

"I'm surprised no one's eaten him yet," I whispered into Beel's ear, "All this anti-demon talk is not a good idea down here."

Beel nodded along. Luke didn't seem to notice, lost in his rant.

"Simeon won't listen to a thing I say! I could disappear off the face of the Earth for all he cared! In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if he even finds me annoying." He looked sad for a moment. "Maybe he thinks of me like a dog too… a noisy dog that never shuts up..."

"His words, not ours," Beel whispered.

"Simeon would rather spend time with _DEMONS_ than with me!" Luke shouted.

Everything clicked after that.

"He's jealous," both Beel and I said at the same time.

"I told Simeon our friendship was over, and then I strode right out of Purgatory Hall. I can't go crawling back now, not after I did that..." Luke turned back to me and I sat up straight. "That's why I'm asking you to let me stay here for a while."

"Even though you hate demons?" Beel pointed out.

"Well, what choice do I have?! ...this is the only place I could think of to go."

I turned to Beel, giving a shrug.

"Your room, Beel. I'll leave this one up to you."

Beel looked at me, then over at Luke. Luke shot the gluttonous demon another dose of puppy dog eyes, clasping his hands together and looking very much like a pleading choir boy. Beel hesitated for a brief moment, then let out a breath.

"Alright Luke, you can stay. I do owe you for the cake."

"Really?! You mean it?!" Luke literally bounced on his heels from excitement. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"Whoa, Whoa, inside voice," I warned, waving him down with my hands. "You're going to get all three of us in trouble."

"Belle's right. If my brothers find out I'm sheltering an _angel_ , they'd kick me out." He said the word 'angel' like Luke had been saying demon, but Luke was too excited to care.

"You got it! Leave it to me! I'll make sure no one ever finds out!"

Both Beel and I shushed him, instantly regretting our decision.

…

Have you ever been at that stage in your childhood when you beg your parents for a bet? I did when I was nine, begging for a puppy. I was warned it would be a big responsibility and that I would have to feed it, water it, and clean up after it. Taking care of Luke was almost exactly like that, making his nickname "Chihuahua" make all the more sense.

Because Luke wasn't supposed to be in the House of Lamentation, he couldn't exactly go down to the dining room for breakfast. As such, I had offered to bring him some breakfast. At first, he had been absolutely grateful and appreciative, then he had turned into what was colloquially known as a "choosing beggar". He had given me a list of things he didn't like and what he refused to eat. As such, in my attempt to find food to fit his incredibly picky pallet, I ended up drawing the attention of Mammon.

"Hey Belle, you okay? You're not eating much. If you don't eat a proper breakfast, you'll be out of gas by lunchtime. Are you feeling sick or something?"

"Awww, are you worried about me?" I teased.

As I predicted, Mammon was instantly flustered. His tsundere defense mechanism kicked in and he was instantly knee-deep in denial, blushing as red as a tomato.

"Wh-..! N-No! Why would _I_ be worried about whether you're sick or not?! You could have an alien burst out of your stomach for all I care, dummy!"

Asmo laughed slightly, shaking his head before pointing his fork at Mammon.

"Wow, you're so desperate to deny that you care. It's embarrassing listening to you when you're like this..."

Mammon threw his napkin at Asmo as Beel stood up, grabbing his plate.

"Well, I think I've had enough for now."

I swear, the entire table went utterly silent. Mammon, Asmo, and Satan all stared at Beel like he'd just declared the apocalypse. I just took the opportunity to grab some bacon, munching on it out of hunger. The sound of my eating snapped the brothers out of their trance, Mammon shaking his head before just gaping at Beel.

"Beel!" he exclaimed. "You're actually gonna- gonna leave _food_ on your plate?! Uneaten food?! You've gotta be kiddin' me!"

"I can't ever remember you doing that, and my memory goes back at _least_ 5000 years!" Asmo tacked on.

"I never said I wasn't going to eat it," Beel said defensively, "I'm going to take it back to my room and finish it there. That's all."

This didn't seem to calm matters at all. Mammon continued freaking out, waving his arms wildly as he kept shouting.

"Is this the end of the world?! Are we about to be invaded by an army of angels?!"

"Can you really be called the Avatar of Gluttony if you don't even finish all of the food on your plate?!" Asmo wondered. "If you don't have that, you're just a regular demon, aren't you?!"

Surprisingly, Satan wasn't freaking out like the others. Instead, he looked over Beel as if he was sizing him up. After a moment, he calmly spoke up.

"You picked up a stray cat, didn't you? You've probably got it hidden in your room somewhere. Just make sure you put it back where you found it when you've had your fun."

"Actually, it's more of a dog than a cat..." Beel muttered under his breath.

"What was that?" Satan asked.

"Nothing," Beel dismissed, walking off with his plate.

I took the opportunity to duck out as well, hoping to avoid any scrutinizing questions from the brothers. The only consolation was Lucifer wasn't there, so we didn't have to worry about him asking questions.

…

Unfortunately for me and Beel, Luke's pickiness was not the only problem that arose while we sheltered him. Despite his claims of being a serious angel and "reporting directly to Michael himself," Luke acted very much like a little boy in a new place. After everyone had left for class, Beel and I found the pint-sized angel blipping around the house, poking his head in various rooms.

"Hmph," Luke let out as he walked down the hall. "Considering they call this place the House of Lamentation, I would've expected it to be more impressive. But it's just big. Aside from that, it's not so different from Purgatory Hall." He reached the door leading to Satan's bedroom, beaming happily. "Belle, Beel! What's this room here?"

"Luke, stop running around," I commanded. "Do you want to get yourself caught?"

"I'm not gonna get caught. Everyone's already at school. Besides, I can't stay in Beel's room all day. I'll go crazy." He then proceeded to open the door to Satan's room. It revealed a room crammed wall to wall with books of all shapes and sizes. Some of the books were even flying around, as if propelled by magic, while others were stacked in tall towers that almost reached the ceiling.

"Hey!" Beel snagged Luke around the stomach, pulling him away from Satan's room. I took the opportunity to close the door as Beel set Luke back down. "Didn't you hear Belle? Stop darting around."

Luke didn't listen. Instead, he rushed over to one of the windows, looking out at the view and grinning.

"Wow! The view from up here is amazing! I bet you can see the entire Devildom!" He then began pointing at one building in the distance. "Ooh! I see Purgatory Hall! Look! That window near the spire there is my room! Belle, Beelzebub, look!"

Both Beel and I just groaned from exhaustion and dread.

…

Later that night, Luke and I were alone in Beel's room. I was sitting in bed with my covers over my legs. Luke was sitting cross legged on the foot of the bed, and the two of us were just talking. I took the opportunity to ask him more about the Celestial Realm, which he was more than willing to talk about. He even told me some secrets I didn't expect.

"So, you've heard the story about Lucifer and his brothers, right?"

"You mean how they were all angels once? Mammon told me a bit of the story."

"Well, all of them except for Satan once lived in the Celestial Realm a long, long time ago. It was so long ago, you humans couldn't even imagine how far back it was."

"The time of Genesis I imagine."

"Exactly." Luke nodded and smiled. "Back then, Lucifer was the strongest and most beautiful of all the angels. He had six pure white wings, and light radiated from them."

I thought back to when Lucifer had revealed his demonic form. I had seen four wings sprouting from his back, their feathers as black as pitch. I could only assume the color was due to his now demonic standing, and the missing pair had probably been lost when he Fell.

"Now," my attention returned to Luke when he started speaking again. "Keep this between us, alright? You absolutely cannot tell anyone else, understand? Not Beelzebub or any of his brothers, either."

"My lips are sealed." I performed a lip locking pantomime to confirm this.

"Back then..." Luke's face turned red. "I admired Lucifer even more than Michael. And I wasn't the only one either. Other angels felt the same way. I think everyone did."

"Well, Lucifer was called the Morning Star, so I can see why."

"Yeah, just remember, this is our little secret."

Suddenly, the bedroom door was quickly opened, Beel rushing inside and almost slamming it behind him. My heart leapt into my throat and Luke practically leapt into my arms. Once he realized it was Beel, he scooched away from me, adjusting his beret.

"Y-you scared us!" He stammered.

"Beel, what's wrong?" I asked, pushing the covers aside. "Is everything okay?"

"We're in big trouble," Beel answered. "Luke's about to be found out."

Luke went pale, a tiny whimper escaping his lips. I was out of bed in an instant, terror plastered on my face.

"How?" I questioned. "What's going on?"

"We're having a surprise inspection. Now. Lucifer's checking each room to make sure no one's out past curfew."

Luke's terrified face relaxed when he heard this and he let out a breath.

"Oh, is that all? I just have to hide. Would the curtains be a good idea? Or maybe under the be-"

"None of the above," Beel cut off. "Lucifer does more than just poke his head in and check for people in their rooms. No, he also searches the _inside_ of the room itself."

"What?" Both Luke and I questioned.

"Why would he do something like-" I stopped, then just face palmed. "Mammon?"

"Yep." Beel nodded. "Lucifer originally started doing it because Mammon kept sneaking out after curfew and coming home late. He'd hide stacks of unpaid bills in his room so no one could find them."

"Then where am I supposed to hide?" Luke questioned. "There has to be somewhere safe I could go."

"There's not," Beel lamented. "Asmo had a witch that he brought back home one night in his room. She transformed into a spider and Lucifer _still_ found her."

"Then what do we do?" I asked.

"You get back in bed, Belle." I scrambled for the bed, grabbing the book I had been reading the past few nights. "Luke… get in the wardrobe."

"What's that gonna do?" Luke asked. "If Lucifer found a spider-witch, how is hiding in the wardrobe going to help?"

"Well, if you keep standing there doing nothing, he'll find you for sure." Beel grabbed Luke by the back of his robe, rushing over to Belphie's wardrobe and opening it. "Hopefully he won't think to look here since this side of the room isn't in use."

He shoved the answer into the mass of clothes stuffed in the wardrobe, causing a muffled yelp to escape from the angel. Beel shut the wardrobe, then bolted back to our side of the room, landing on the couch just as Lucifer opened the door.

"Alright you two, inspection time."

I looked up from my book, doing my best to act natural. Beel just grabbed a bag of chips he had resting on the couch, stuffing a handful in his mouth. Lucifer scanned the room for a moment, then turned back to us.

"Belle, Beel, I see you're both here." He stepped into the room, a serious look on his face. "I'm going to have a look through your room to be certain everything's in order. However, before I do, _is there anything you'd like to tell me?_ "

The way he said that last part made by blood run cold. My mouth dried up and instinctively tightened my grip on my book. Beel just shoved more chips in his mouth. Lucifer's face didn't change.

"I see." He turned to Beel, crossing his arms. "Beel, open the wardrobe."

Beel set down his chips and walked over to his wardrobe, revealing nothing but Beel's clothes. Lucifer nodded.

"Now the other one."

Beel froze for a second and I felt the color drain from my face.

"There's nothing in there but Belphie's clothes," Beel tried to argue.

" _Open it._ "

Beel and I exchanged momentary glances. I hid my face behind my book, unable to keep the expression of panic from manifesting. Moving slower than I've ever seen him move, Beel made his way over to Belphie's wardrobe. He grasped the handle, took a deep breath, and then opened it. To my and Beel's shock, the wardrobe was devoid of any pint-sized angels. Beel choked on a gasp of surprise and I had to cover my mouth to keep myself from saying anything incriminating. Lucifer just observed the interior of the wardrobe and nodded.

"Well, it seems the rumors of your harboring a puppy were just that, rumors." He turned back to the door. "I've seen everything I need to see. Don't stay up too late you two."

He left the room. Beel and I just kept staring at the empty wardrobe, trying to process what had happened.

"Where's Luke?" I hissed.

"I don't know. He's just… gone."

"How can he be gone? You just tossed him into the wardrobe a minute ago?"

"I don't know! This- This doesn't make sense!"

Both of us were in full panic mode, trying to figure out what happened to our renegade angel.

…

Luke didn't reappear for the rest of the night, or into the morning. There were no shouts of angel sightings around the breakfast table, and Lucifer seemed calm and content when he came to warn us that we needed to get moving. My first few classes were nothing but a blur, my thoughts stuck solely on Luke. By the time Morning Break came around, I was completely strung out, as was my unwitting accomplice.

"Belle," Beel greeted nervously as he approached where I was laying. "Have you seen Luke around RAD?"

"No." I shook my head solemnly. "Not even a passing glimpse."

I fiddled with my ribbon tie, extremely on edge at this point. Beel was just as bad, sitting down next to me with his leg bouncing a mile a minute. As we sat there stewing on our situation, Simeon approached, placing his gentle hands on our backs.

"Beel, Belle, so glad I found you." We both looked back at the angel, who smiled at us. "You two are looking after Luke, right?" I hope he's not causing too much trouble for you."

"Uh-" I tried to speak, unable to form coherent sentences.

"I'm sorry you had to get caught up in our private squabble. I tried to stop him before he could run off, but Luke is just too quick, I'm afraid."

"Yeah..." Beel agreed softly, eyes on the bench.

"I hope you don't mind taking care of him a little longer. Hopefully he'll be ready to come back soon." Simeon sighed, sitting down between us. "Luke can be a real handful, I know. He's still young and immature for an angel, and he knows very little of the world."

"We've… noticed," I remarked.

"He tends to judge everything in life from the perspective of someone in the Celestial Realm, using its logic. Though that's also one of the positive things about Luke. He's honest, genuine, and he adheres to a strict set of values that he doesn't break." He chuckled lightly. "When the two of us were originally chosen for the exchange program, he was extremely upset and depressed."

"We know," I informed him. "He's paranoid about being corrupted by the demons. I suppose the Fall is still fresh in his mind."

"It's fresh for all of us," Beel corrected. "Some more than others."

"Well, I had personally hoped that studying in the Devildom would help him realize that all his preconceptions of beings outside the Celestial Realm were wrong. Interacting with demons and humans like you Belle, I saw it as a chance for growth, not just as a person, but an angel as well. I'm guessing Michael felt the same way, which is why he chose Luke for this program."

"Luke doesn't seem to have figured that out," I pointed out. "Why haven't you told him?"

"Simple. While some supervisors like to teach the people they lead directly, giving them the answers they need, others prefer to make those they lead think for themselves and figure it out on their own. I fall into the latter category. I like to sit back and let Luke discover this for himself."

"I… suppose that makes sense," I allowed.

"Thank you." Simeon stood up. "If you find yourself unable to put up with him anymore, go ahead and kick him out. I'm sure he'll come back to me if he has no place else to go."

"We'll keep that in mind," Beel supplied.

Simeon nodded, then took his leave. Beel and I watched him go, then turned back to each other.

"We need to find Luke ASAP," Beel insisted.

"Took the words right out of my mouth," I replied.

…

Beel and I bolted back to the House of Lamentation the second the bell rang, making it home before everyone else. We didn't even bother changing out of our uniforms, just rushing straight into the search. We spread out across the house, checking every possible nook and cranny. We met halfway, both of us looking worried and nervous.

"Anything?" I asked.

"I scoured the first floor and found no trace of him. You?"

"Checked every room I could. I mean, I know he wouldn't be in any bedroom aside from yours, so that kind of limits the options."

"We should try one more time. I'll take the second floor, you take the first this time. We have to find-"

"You have to find what?" Satan questioned.

Both Beel and I jolted up straight, turning towards the blonde demon. He was glaring at the both of us, as if trying to peer into our thoughts.

"What are you trying to find?" He asked again.

"The puppy," I supplied. "The one Beel had in his room. We were going to release it today, but it got loose."

Satan gave a long, slow nod.

"I thought it was weird that Beel didn't eat all his breakfast. Just make sure you find the puppy and release it as soon as you can."

"You got it," I promised.

Satan walked off to his room, closing the door behind him. Beel let out a breath.

"Nice thinking," he told me. "Come on, let's get back to the search. If someone else finds Luke before we do, all three of us will be in serious trouble."

He went to do just that, but I stopped him, grabbing his arm.

"That's just it though, nobody's found him," I pointed out. "Nobody's seen any sign of him, and considering our talk with Simeon, he clearly didn't return to Purgatory Hall. He's got to be somewhere in the House of Lamentation, so why haven't we found him yet?"

Beel let that sink in, confusion etched on his face.

"That's a good question. More than that, he disappeared while inside a wardrobe." He began thinking, rubbing his chin. "I wonder..."

He began walking down into the foyer, me scrambling to catch up with him. He walked down the stairs and over to a decorative pedestal tucked into a nook by one of the stairs. Situated on this pedestal was a dollhouse, more appropriately, a scale model of the House of Lamentation. I looked at the dollhouse in surprise.

"How long has this been here?" I asked.

"I'm not sure, but it's 100% accurate. It's even adjusted itself to match its current situation."

Beel waited for me to join him, then he opened the dollhouse. To my surprise, it did indeed show an accurate floor plan of the entire house. There was even tiny bits of construction equipment set up in the kitchen, and a hole in the floor of my bedroom.

"Okay that's impressive, but what are you expecting to find?"

"Something that's out of place or weird. Something we might have missed."

I took a closer look, scanning the different rooms on both the first and second floor. I almost missed it at first, but I stopped just in time. Situated between Beel's room and Lucifer's room was an eighth bedroom, one that shouldn't exist.

"Hey, what's this?"

I pointed the extra room out to Beel, who squints at it in surprise.

"That… shouldn't be there."

"If this thing is as accurate as you say it is, then it's there. That has to be where Luke is."

Beel straightened up, putting his hands up for a moment.

"Well, we've exhausted all our other options, so why not?"

Together, we returned to the second story, going to the space between Lucifer's and Beel's room. Having watched enough action movies, I began feeling across the walls, trying to find a secret entrance of some sort. Unfortunately, all I found was smooth wall covered in decorative wallpaper.

"Ugh, there's nothing here!" I exclaimed, punching the wall.

Beel gently took my hand, pulling me away from the wall.

"You need to be careful. Your wrist is still healing." He let me go, then took a look at the wall. "If there really is a secret room here, then it may be protected by magic."

"Right, Devildom. The magic thing didn't even dawn on me." I squatted next to Beel. "So, what are we looking for now?"

"Anything that doesn't fit. Something that looks like it's out of place or-" He stopped, his fingers tracing on the designs of the wallpaper. "Hang on… I think I see something hidden in the pattern."

I took a look, going wide-eyed when I saw what appeared to be words written in the designs. It wasn't in any language I recognized, but Beel seemed to.

"It's Enochian, the language of the angels," he explained. "It's some sort of… riddle, I think."

"Well, what does it say?"

"'When the morning star dwelt in the heavens, its light shone down upon this one, sparkling brilliantly, the eighth of the eight'."

I mulled that over, chewing on my thumbnail as I tried to figure out the answer.

"Okay, let me think… Lucifer was commonly known as the Morning Star, so that could be him. 'Dwelt in the heavens' could refer to before the Fall. But what about the eighth of the eight?"

"The eighth child," Beel answered, resting a hand against the wall. "The youngest of us, and the one Lucifer loved the most… Lilith."

The wall began to glow, an outline of a door forming. Beel stepped back, the two of us watching in amazement as a golden archway formed, a white door manifesting itself. The brightness of the door was a stark contrast to the usual dark architecture, and the fact it was magically hidden had both of us curious.

"...let's go," Beel decided.

He got up, offering his hand. I took it and he opened the door. A bright light met our eyes as we entered, making us shield our vision before we had a chance to adjust. We lowered our hands once our eyes were safe, then took stock of the room. It possessed massive windows with white, gossamer curtains. The walls were a forest green with paintings of flowers resting in gilded frames. There furniture was all covered in white sheets, and it was clear nobody had lived here in a very long time.

"This… what is this place?" I looked out the window, gasping when I saw a bright, sunny field filled with white flowers. "I can see the sun! And grass! And- And flowers that aren't blood red!"

"The Celestial Realm..."

I turned back to Beel, who was as white as a sheet as he looked around the room.

"This room is… it's Lilith's room… from back in the Celestial Realm… But… How is it here?"

I just watched Beel for a moment, feeling something click in my head. Slowly, I approached the gluttonous demon, reaching for him before stopping myself. I retracted my hand, then slowly began to speak.

"Lilith… isn't an exchange student… is she?"

Beel solemnly shook his head.

"She..." He choked slightly. "She died in the Great Celestial War..."

He leaned against the door, sliding down until he was sitting on the ground. I joined him, sliding down next to him. His magenta eyes were glistening as he sniffed, rubbing his face.

"During the battle, her wing was pierced by an arrow. Belphie and I both watched it happen right before our eyes. She plummeted out of the heavens..."

"Beel… I'm sorry..."

The tears began to fall as he screwed his eyes shut, fists clenched tightly on his legs.

"Just before Lilith was shot, I saw angels from the opposing side draw their bows and aim at both her and Belphie. I couldn't-" he choked again, sniffing hard. "I couldn't save them both… we were too far apart, and I knew I could only get to one of them in time. I locked eyes with Belphie, then the next thing I knew, I was rushing to his side to shield him."

"Belphie survived…" I said softly, "and Lilith didn't."

Beel nodded, then finally broke down. I rubbed his back, letting him release what I could only assume was centuries of repressed emotions.

"Beel, you did nothing wrong. You protected Belphie, so that counts for something."

"Everyone keeps telling me that, but none of them saw what I saw… They didn't see how Lilith looked at me as the arrow pierced her wing… They didn't see that look of despair before she fell… Belphie hasn't ever come out and said it, but I think he blames _me_ for not being able to save Lilith."

"What?" I jumped to my feet. "How could you think that?"

"Because he wanted me to save her instead of him. I chose to save him instead..." He looked up at me with grief-stricken eyes. "Belle… what would you have done if you were in my shoes? Who would you have saved?"

I was caught off guard by the question. In truth, I didn't have an answer. No matter who I chose, someone would die and I would feel guilty. The source of the guilt would just shift.

Before I could dwell on this too much, my D.D.D. began to ring, much to my surprise. I fished it out, seeing that Mammon was calling me.

"Mammon?" I greeted in confusion. "What's-?"

" _Belle! Where are you?!_ "

"I- I'm-"

" _Forget it. Something seriously bad is about to happen here!_ "

"Mammon, I'm not bailing you out of trouble. I'm a little busy, so-"

" _You don't get it! The Chihuahua's down in the underground tomb, and Lucifer's about to kill him! Get down here now!_ "

With wide eyes, I ended the call, jumping to my feet.

"Lucifer found Luke!"

"What?!" Beel jumped to his feet as well. "Where?!"

"The underground tomb, wherever that is!"

"I know where it is." He grabbed my hand. "Let's go!"


	10. The Confrontation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things come to a head in the Underground Tomb, and Belle gains another Pact

The underground tomb turned out to be a massive stone chamber that was practically covered in candles. A stone path led down this humongous chamber, leading to a stone sarcophagus with an intricate carving of a sleeping girl. The sarcophagus was covered in vines, the girl's hands shaped like they were meant to hold something.

Standing before this resting place was Lucifer in all his demonic glory. Rage was radiating off of him as he stared down a terrified Luke. The angel was on his butt, back to the sarcophagus with a book clutched close to his chest. He was shaking and crying, his eyes locked on the pissed demon. Mammon was there too, ironically trying to calm his seething elder brother.

"Lucifer, come on! Calm down a little, would ya?! He's just a lost dog, that's all!"

"R-r-right, exactly," Luke stammered, his voice barely above a whisper. "A-and if you th-think you're gonna s-scare me looking all evil like that, y-you're wrong… It's w-w-won't work..." He swallowed hard, then his voice became a bit louder. "I-I'll have you know that I r-report directly to Michael the Archangel, one of the g-greatest-"

"Luke," Lucifer cut off. "That book… _Do you realize what that is?_ "

Luke looked down at the book in his grasp, tightening his grip.

"Y-you mean this…? I just took it off the stone coffin..."

Beel and I finally got close enough to the scene to take full stock of the situation, my demonic partner getting a good look at the book in Luke's hand.

"I know that book..." he whispered.

Beel's words drew Mammon's attention. He turned to us, looking relieved and worried.

" _Finally!_ " He exclaimed, rushing over to us. "Belle, Beel, you're here! _Took you long enough!_ "

"Why does Luke have a Grimoire?" Beel questioned.

" _What?!_ " Mammon shrieked.

Luke suddenly looked even more scared for his life, tossing the book away from himself as if it were on fire. Lucifer instantly grabbed it, sliding it back into the grip of the stone girl. I just observed the scene, more confused than ever.

"What's a Grimoire?" I asked.

"It's a book of magic, one of several that exist," Beel clarified. "The one Luke had contains the power to control a demon… to make them do anything, even if it's in violation of a pact. Everything that we are rides on that book, thus it can never be stolen."

"Damn, no wonder Lucifer hid it down here," I remarked.

"Now is not the time for a magic lesson! Get with the program!" Mammon was still absolutely erratic, and it showed as he turned to Luke. "Hey! Dog! How did you end up down here in the first place? No one but us has access to down here!"

"I-I don't know!" Luke cried out. "Y-your guess is as good as mine! One minute, I'm in the wardrobe in Beelzebub's room, then I come out and find myself here! Th-then-"

"Beelzebub's room?" Lucifer repeated, causing Luke to shut up. "Did you just say…? _Beelzebub's room?_ "

Beel's grip on my hand tightened and I felt all the breath leave my body. Mammon began backing away as Lucifer turned to me and Beel, his eyes ablaze with fury.

" _ **BEELZEBUB!**_ "

He grabbed Beel by the front of his uniform, yanking him off his feet and out of my grasp. The furious demon then threw him towards the sarcophagus. He landed hard, crumbling to the ground as Luke rushed over to him. I covered my mouth in horror, barely able to breath.

"You were harboring an _angel_ in your room?!" Lucifer demanded. "You _allowed him access_ to the House of Lamentation? You gave him access to our tomb so he could _steal the grimoire?!_ "

"I- I wasn't trying to steal it!" Luke tried to explain, crying in earnest now. "Please, you have to-!"

"Shut up, idiot!" Mammon snapped. "You're only making things worse! Lucifer's far past the point of being reasoned with!"

Lucifer stalked towards Beel and Luke, murder in his eyes.

" _You two had better be ready to face the consequences!_ "

Something in me snapped. Before I could even register what was going on, I was moving. I got in between Lucifer and his two targets, my arms spread and my body tense.

"No!" I screamed.

Everyone turned to me, looking at me like I had lost my mind. The tiny, rational part of my brain was screaming at me to move before I got killed, but I just shoved it down.

"Belle, what are you doing?!" Mammon hissed.

" _Out of the way, Human!_ " Lucifer demanded. " _Unless you want to die here!_ "

I could feel my legs quaking and my heart hammering in my chest. Despite my overwhelming urge to panic and flee, I stood my ground, meeting the furious demon's eye.

"No, Lucifer. I'm not going to let you hurt them. Either of them."

"Belle..." Beel said quietly. "Stop it..."

"Listen to him, Belle!" Mammon begged, looking beyond scared at this point. "He's going to kill you for real!"

"I'm not moving!" I snapped.

Lucifer just looked down at me, his nose upturned in a way that truly made him feel like the Avatar of Pride. The look he gave me was filled with nothing but disdain, disgust, and pure, unadulterated rage.

"A human risking her life to defend a demon and an angel… how very interesting." He snorted, crossing his arms. "Well, if you want to be a hero, you're going to have to choose one of them to save. Beelzebub or Luke."

"No." I shook my head.

That seemed to set Lucifer off. His fingers dug into the sleeves of his coat.

"It's one or the other…" He growled, his voice dropping into one that wasn't even remotely human. "Make. _Your._ _ **Choice!**_ "

"No, Lucifer!" I shouted. "I won't choose! You're cruel to make anyone choose! I'm going to let you hurt Beel or Luke, understand? I'm going to protect them both!"

"Belle..." Luke whispered.

Lucifer began breathing hard, gritting his teeth in rage.

"You want… to save them both?"

He lashed out, grabbing me by my throat and lifting me in the air. I began choking, clawing at his hand as he squeezed, cutting off my air supply and crushing my throat.

"Do you actually think I'm going to allow a lowly human that choice?! _That you can have whatever you WANT?!_ _ **NO!**_ "

Everything started to go black as I saw a blur of red rushing forward. Before I could truly register what was going on, the darkness swallowed me and I fell into oblivion.

…

"...Belle..."

A voice, one that sounded familiar, was calling out to me. My body felt sluggish and slow. My throat burned. I just wanted to return to the inky abyss to escape the pain.

"...Come back to me, Belle."

Very slowly, I forced myself to open my eyes. The first thing I noticed was the familiar red paint of Beel's room. I was laying in his bed, the covered tucked neatly under my arms. I was also in my nightgown, which was a bit surprising. As I shifted my gaze towards the edge of the bed, I was surprised to find Beel sitting next to me, holding my hand.

"...Belle." He let out a small laugh of relief, squeezing my hand when he met my gaze. "You're awake."

"Yeah..." I rasped, coughing violently as my free hand went to my throat.

Beel quickly released my hand, reaching for the bedside table. He grabbed a crystalline bottle, removing the stopper and handing it to me.

"Here, drink this. It's a remedy that will help with your throat."

I took the bottle, downing the contents. It tasted like pomegranates and cooled down my burning throat. Within a few seconds, breathing became a bit easier.

"Thank you..." My voice was still a bit on the raspy side, but it wasn't as noticeable as before. "How long was I out?"

"A couple hours. It's about dinner time now. I was worried you would never wake up, being a fragile human and all." He took my hand again, still looking relieved beyond measure. "I'm just glad you're not dead."

"So am I…" I carefully sat up, trying not to move too fast for fear of passing out again. "What happened? I remember seeing a red blur before everything went black."

"Well, you made Lucifer _really_ mad when you stepped in to protect Luke and me. You almost got yourself killed..."

"The bruise on my throat tells me that much."

"That 'red blur' you saw was Lord Diavolo. He came running up, stopping Lucifer from killing you."

"Really?" I scrunched my face in confusion. "How did he even know?"

"I'm not sure." Beel chuckled slightly, looking at me with admiration and wonder. "Honestly, I'm still reeling from what happened. I mean, you saw how Lucifer looked back then, and yet you still got in between us. It was like you had a death wish."

"I just… I'm not sure what happened." I shrugged, looking down at my hands. "I just knew I couldn't let him hurt you or Luke. You… weren't hurt, were you?"

"No, I've been thrown a lot harder than that. Besides, you should be worried about yourself. You almost _died_ , Belle. Shielding a demon from harm… it's completely unheard of."

"What can I say, I'm unpredictable like that." My face fell slightly as I glanced up at Beel's eyes. "Is Luke okay?"

"Simeon came over and took him back to Purgatory Hall. He was pretty shaken up after what he experienced."

"Who wouldn't be?" I responded. "I mean, I'm pretty sure I'm going to be having nightmares for weeks about this."

Beel sighed, letting go of my hand and turning away in sorrow.

"Luke didn't do anything wrong… I'm the one to blame here."

"Huh?" I shook my head in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"I'm the one who hid him in my room," Beel listed off, counting on his fingers. "I'm the reason he disappeared. I'm the one who failed to calm Lucifer down, and ended up putting you in danger..."

"Whoa, I'm going to stop you there." I held up a hand to cut him off. "First off, I'm the one who brought Luke into the House of Lamentation, not you. That one's on me. Secondly, how could you have possibly known that Belphie's closet would send him to the tomb? Thirdly, Mammon said so himself that Lucifer was beyond the point of reason. There was nothing you could do."

"I just… I feel guilty. You're not an angel, or a demon. You're not even someone with powerful magic. You're just a regular human, and yet you still stepped in to shield us… why?"

"Like I said before, I'm not sure. It was… like a reflex or something."

Beel smiled, taking my hand once more.

"I see. So that's simply the sort of person you are, then."

"I guess so."

"I wonder…" Beel's eyes became distant as his thoughts drifted slightly. "If the situation had been reversed, would I have stepped in to defend you?"

"I'm sure you would have," I assured him. "You're a good person, Beel.

"Thank you, Belle." He sat up in his chair, smiling at me. "I want to do something to make it up to you, and to thank you for saving me. Just name it."

I was seconds from telling him that it wasn't necessary, but as I went to wave him down, my eyes caught the glint of my pact bracelet. I recalled my promise to Belphie, which had taken a backseat in all the drama, and how I was supposed to make pacts with all the brothers. Seeing this as my best chance, I decided to go for it.

"Make a pact with me."

My request seemed to surprise him.

"A pact? With me? Why? You already have two pacts with Mammon and Levi, so why do you want one with me?"

It took me some time to come up with an answer. Belphie had made it quite clear that I couldn't tell his brothers about his plight. The threat of a massive war was still fresh in my mind. Of course, this made explaining my reasoning difficult. Luckily, I managed to find an answer that was true while also omitting the more sensitive areas.

"I want Lucifer to respect me," I told him. "Right now, he just sees me as an exchange student, one without any real standing or power. However, if I made pacts with you and the rest of your brothers, he'd have to recognize me as someone worth listening to."

"But why? Why is that so important to you?"

I took a deep breath.

"Because… Because I want him to make up with Belphie."

Beel blinked in surprise.

"I've seen the way you are whenever Belphie's brought up. You're hurting… a lot. I hate seeing my friends in pain, and I hate it even more when family fights. All I want is for Lucifer to recognize me as someone worthy of his attention, despite being human. If I manage that, I can convince him to have a heartfelt conversation with Lucifer."

"You..." Beel seemed at a loss for words. "You want to help… Belphie? You realize this isn't an easy task. Not even Solomon has been able to make contracts with all of us."

"As my dad always says, 'nothing worth doing is ever easy'."

Beel mulled this over for a bit, then gave a nod.

"Alright."

I blinked, legit shocked it had been that easy.

"You're serious?"

"Yes. I feel the same way you do. I want Belphegor and Lucifer to make up, and if making a pact with you will help that come to pass, then I'll do it."

He tightened his grip on my hand, placing his other hand over it before reciting the oath.

"I am Beelzebub, the Avatar of Gluttony. I pledge myself to you, Isabella Collins, that we may be bound in an unbreakable pact. This I swear to you on both my name and the very blood that runs through my veins."

The familiar light gathered around our hands, swirling around our wrists. When it faded, Beel was now sporting a metallic red bracelet on his wrist. I had gained a new charm as well, a red one that sort of reminded me of a bird. It had solid wings on both sides, and three diamonds at the base that almost looked like tail feathers. I played with the charm, smiling happily.

"Three down, three to go."

…

I'm not sure what that elixir Beel gave me was, but my throat felt much better than before. The massive bruise was still there, but luckily I had a scarf I could use to cover it. This came in handy when Beel took me out for dinner. Given the state of the kitchen, we'd all been forced to eat take-out or at restaurants for food. Beel had been nice enough to show me the various places around the Devildom where one could get food, and I had taken a shine to Hell's Kitchen. Beel clearly remembered this, as this was where he decided to take me.

"Beel, you know you don't have to do this," I assured him. "I do have Grimm to pay for this."

"Maybe so, but I still feel bad about what happened. Order whatever you want. My treat."

"And you promise you'll stop feeling guilty afterwards?"

He nodded and smiled.

"I promise."

"Alright!" Mammon cheered. "Time to order big!"

"Ooh, they even have food from the human world!" Levi said happily, pointing excitedly at the menu. "Like this here, this is what Minoka ate in _Help! I'm an Evil Overlord! - How Discovering That My Classmate was a Witch Set Me on a Course to Become Supreme Ruler of another Dimension._ I can't believe they actually have it here!"

Beel groaned, looking over at the two others sitting at our table.

"I said I was taking Belle out to eat, not you guys. Why are you even here?"

"My guess, a combination of wanting to check on me coupled with Mammon's natural greedy tendencies," I offered up.

"C'mon Beel, what's the harm in us taggin' along?" Mammon asked. "Don't be such a killjoy."

"Order first, we should," Levi suggested, doing a surprisingly good Yoda impression. "Talk later, we can."

Beel sighed, realizing he couldn't easily get rid of them. I just pat him on the shoulder in a reassuring manner.

"Just so we're clear," Beel declared. "I'm _not_ paying for either of you guys."

"Now come on, Beel," mammon attempted to argue. "Even if there were ten of us here with you, we still wouldn't be able to eat as much as you do on your own."

"This coming from the demon who attempted to order everything on the menu from Ristorante Six just to get a rise out of Beel," I recalled.

"Exactly," Beel nodded. "I'm still not paying."

"Fine with that, I am," Levi announced, still doing his Yoda impression. "Begin by ordering drinks, I will."

"Gyah, will you cut that out?" Mammon demanded. "That gets real old real fast."

…

After settling on who would be paying for what, the four of us settled down to talk and eat. Considering I now had a good reason for my pacts, as well as the need for a plan moving forward, I decided to bring Levi and Mammon up to speed. To their credit, they listened the entire time I explained my plan. I was still careful not to reveal the truth about Belphie, only explaining my desire to help him and Lucifer makeup.

"So, that's why you've been so eager to make pacts," Mammon muttered. "Interesting."

"And that's why you decided you'd make a pact with her, Beel?" Levi asked.

"One of the reasons, yes," Beel nodded. "In the end, we both want the same thing."

"Belle, do ya really think you can do this?" Mammon questioned. "I mean, we're talkin' about Lucifer here."

"I know it's a longshot, but I have to try. I can't just sit by and let you seven just..." I sighed, leaning on the table. "I can't just watch your family crumble. I have to do something."

"I think you're being a bit generous when you say 'longshot'," Levi spoke up. "I mean, you've never even met Belphie. How are you supposed to get him and Lucifer to make up?"

"If you ask me, there's no chance this'll work," Mammon declared, making a slicing motion with his hand.

"Agreed," Levi nodded. "This isn't a game you can win."

"Well, it's clear that none of you are gonna solve it," I challenged. "I mean… this is like when the Lord of Emptiness was imprisoned in the Tower of Shadow. Because everyone was afraid of the Lord of Corruption, no one wanted to argue against this clear injustice."

Since both Beel and Mammon had been present for my TSL marathon, they understood what I was referencing. Levi just looked impressed and somewhat amused by my callback to his favorite show.

"She's right," Beel agreed. "This about it: When has anyone ever tried to solve our family issues, be it one of us or anyone else? Have any of us ever offered to help those two make up?"

Mammon and Levi looked down, muttering and shaking their heads.

"I know it might be impossible and we may have to accept that it won't happen, but we can at least try to help them before coming to that conclusion," I offered. "At least we'll have tried."

Both of them were silent for a moment, contemplating their options. Beel just sat there, nervously playing with his bracelet. After a bit, Mammon finally spoke again.

"Well, now that you put it that way, I guess I could help out. I mean, I can't deny that this thing with Lucifer and Belphie affects all of us."

"...Agreed," Levi said after a minute.

"Then it's settled," Beel grinned. "The three of us will help Belle on her quest to smooth things over between Lucifer and Mammon."

"Okay then!" Mammon punched the air. "It's time we came up with a name for this team of ours!"

I snorted, giggling into my hand.

"A name?" I chortled. "Really?"

"Do you really think we need a name?" Beel questioned.

"'Course we do! We've gotta figure these things out, get our ducks in a row before we do anything else. It promotes spirit, you know? Makes you more likely to succeed."

"How about… Evil Genesis Demongelion!" Levi suggested.

"I'm pretty sure that's a rip-off of an anime," I spoke up. "And a pretty well-known one at that. Let's not."

"Belle's right," Mammon nodded. "We need a cooler-soundin' name. You know, like 'Solomon and His 72 Demons'... Oh! I know! How about 'Mammon and his 3 Servants'?"

"Wouldn't that be 'Belle and her 3 Demons'?" I argued. "Besides, we're all equal in this. No one is above the other."

"Well, except Mammon," Levi quipped. "He's definitely low on the totem pole."

"Agreed," Beel chuckled.

Mammon growled bitterly as I just giggled, enjoying perhaps my first normal night since coming to the Devildom.

…

We never did come up with a name for our little band. Instead, our conversation just continued late into the evening. The names continued getting more and more idiotic, but it was all in good fun. Eventually, we called it a night and returned to the House of Lamentation. As we went inside, we were greeted by Lucifer, who was standing in the doorway. He was back to normal once more, but I still felt my heart leap into my bruised throat.

"You four were certainly out late," he remarked.

"Belle and I went out for dinner," Beel explained, a protective hand on my shoulder. "Mammon and Levi tagged along."

"I see," Lucifer nodded. "I'm glad to see you all getting along so well."

"Yep," Mammon nodded hastily before letting out an exaggerated yawn. "Wow, it's late. Better get to bed. Don't want to be groggy for class."

He bolted up the stairs to his room.

"I- uh..." Levi stammered for a moment, trying to think of an excuse. "I'm going to bed."

He bolted as well, leaving me and Beel alone with Lucifer. The latter smiled at me, no trace of anger or malice.

"By the way Belle, the repairs to the kitchen are finally done, and the floor of your room is fixed too. I'll have your stuff moved back into your room tomorrow, and you'll be able to sleep there again."

"That's good," I nodded. "Thank you."

"Guess this is your last night in my room," Beel remarked.

"So it seems," I agreed, taking his hand. "Come on, let's go to bed."

I pulled Beel away, giving Lucifer one final look. His eyes were glued to my bracelet, no doubt noticing the red charm now joining Levi's bronze one and Mammon's golden one. To his credit, he never said a word. Instead, he just watched as we walked off.

…

That night, I was laying in Beel's bed, sleeping soundly. As I rolled over in my sleep, a sensed a presence sitting down by the bed. I cracked an eye open to see the top of Beel's head leaning against the mattress. I scooted closer to the edge, groaning sleepily.

"You alright Beel?"

"Yeah…"

I closed my eyes to return to sleep, then Beel began talking softly.

"Remember what I told you about Lilith? Sometimes, I dream about her… or, I have nightmares about her. Back when we were angels, I asked her a question. I asked her, 'Lilith, if you had to choose between saving either me or Belphie, who would it be?' She just looked at me and said, 'both of you!'" He looked back at me, smiling slightly. "You did that today, Belle. You saved both me and Luke..." He trailed off, looking away. "Unfortunately, it's never that easy in my dreams. In them, Lilith and Belphie disappear, and I'm left all alone. Everything goes pitch black, and suddenly I'm falling. Falling down through a void..."

He fell silent at this. Still half asleep but sensing his need for affection, I reached over and began petting his head. He sighed when I did this, turning around and leaning his stomach against the bed. He closed his eyes, smiling slightly as he nodded off. I kept petting him until I myself fell asleep, nightmares plaguing the two of us no more.

…

At breakfast the next day, the atmosphere was so thick you could cut it with a knife. Lucifer stared down me, Beel, and Mammon, his face an emotionless mask. We in turn just ate our breakfast, occasionally meeting his eye. After several minutes of this, Asmo sighed, setting down his fork.

"Normally, everyone's so happy and full of energy at breakfast. But things are _so_ tense today!"

"Considering what happened yesterday, I'm not surprised," Satan spoke up.

I adjusted my scarf again, wishing my uniform did more to hide the massive bruise.

"How about you, Levi?" Asmo questioned. "You stayed out of the drama, right?"

"I heard about it second hand," Levi supplied. "I've been in my room for the past three days playing _Master of Diablo._ It's an open-world game set in the human world, which you try to destroy by asserting control over Diablo, the Lord of the Underworld. It's _amazing!_ "

Satan shook his head, rubbing his eyebrows.

"Yet another game with inappropriate themes." He straightened up, brushing his trepidation off. "Still, there are some advantages to your shut-in tendencies. You avoid getting caught in unpleasant business, like last night."

"You can say that again," Asmo chimed in. "Just look at Beel. He's on his sixth cup of soup. That's only half his usual pace."

"I see Mammon still has that same stupid expression on his face as always," Satan quipped.

"Hey!" Mammon exclaimed, dropping his spoon. "What's that about my face?! Stop talkin' behind our backs, okay?! It ain't funny!"

"Now, now, no need to throw a hissy fit," Asmo admonished.

Silence fell over the table again, causing me to let out a long, uncomfortable groan. After a bit, I gave up on eating. I set my napkin on the table and rose, preparing to head off to class early. I made it two steps before Lucifer spoke up.

"...Belle. Would you come see me in the music room before heading to class?"

I froze, my hand going to the scarf covering my throat. Reluctantly, I let out a shuddering breath before nodding, not turning to face Lucifer.

"S-Sure. No problem."

"Excellent. I'll be there waiting for you."

He rose from the table, carefully folding his napkin and walking off. As the door closed behind him, Asmo let out a whistle.

"Ooh, Lucifer wants to see Belle? Yikes! Super scary!"

Satan snorted, stifling a chuckle with his hand.

"Careful, Asmodeus. He might hear you."

The others didn't share his mirth. All three of the brothers I'd made pacts with were glancing nervously at me, each one resting a hand over their pact bracelet. They didn't say a word, but it was clear they were worried about what this talk entailed. For a moment, I was tempted to ask one of them to come with me for protection. However, I knew that they couldn't accompany me inside. Steeling my nerves, I made my way towards the Music Room.

…

Walking into the music room, I didn't know what to expect. I was more than a little nervous he was going to finish what he started last night. Luckily for me, he seemed much calmer now. He was sitting on the piano bench, waiting for me.

"Belle, thank you for coming." He rose to his feet and I took an instinctive step back, stopping him in his tracks. "I will not hurt you again. Quite the opposite. I wanted to apologize for yesterday."

I felt my fear alleviate as Lucifer looked genuinely upset.

"What I did was inexcusable, and it caused you grave harm. As such, I wanted to give you this." He reached into his tunic, pulling out a red vial. "This is a healing potion, and a very potent one. It wasn't easy to come by, but considering I am the cause of your current state, I felt it was worth the cost."

He handed it to me and I took it, removing the stopper and downing the contents. I gagged on the taste, which reminded me of cough syrup. Once I finished it off, I felt an ethereal warmth rush through my body. Curious to see if it worked, I removed the splint from my wrist. To my surprise, the bruise was fading right before my eyes, the tightness in my arm disappearing. I removed my scarf after that, checking myself in the mirror. Like with my wrist, the bruise vanished, as if the injury never happened.

"Thank you," I told him, turning back to him. "And… I accept your apology. You weren't exactly thinking straight down there, and if I'm honest, neither was I."

"Indeed. However, there is one thing I want to make clear." He reached for my hand, lifting it up and examining my pact bracelet. "As long as they consent to it, I have no problem with your making pacts with my brothers. However, your curiosity is getting the better of you. I want you to _stop sticking your nose where it doesn't belong._ "

He released my hand and I pulled it back, my other hand covering the bracelet. Lucifer crossed his arms, getting a serious look on his face.

"I believe I warned you not to climb the stairs leading up to the attic, and yet you did _exactly that_." I winced as Lucifer's face became more worried than angry. "I'm the only demon able to go up there thanks to a spell I cast on the stairs. Unfortunately, only demons are barred from entry, which is why you could go up there. However, I'm sure you've noticed there's nothing up there."

That threw me off for a moment, and I was silently grateful I had a good poker face. Somehow, Lucifer was aware I had ventured into the attic, but didn't know that I had spoken to Belphie.

"Curiosity killed the cat," he warned. "If you behave yourself, you'll complete your year here in the exchange program. At which point, we'll return you to the human world. I imagine that yesterday served as somewhat of a learning experience for you."

"That… is a bit of an understatement."

Lucifer nodded.

"I suppose it is. Still, the fact remains that I put you through a rather trying experience. Sometime in the near future, I'd like to treat you to a meal out somewhere to make it up to you."

"That could be nice."

"Well, that's all I wanted to say. You're free to go."

I nodded, then made my way out of the room. I felt a million times better, both physically and emotionally. Lucifer no longer wanted me dead, and as far as he knew, I was oblivious to Belphie's presence. This meant I could work on my plan unencumbered, provided I didn't royally screw myself over. All I had to do was find a way to make a pact with Asmo and Satan, then focus my attention on Lucifer himself. I knew it wasn't going to be easy, but at the very least it no longer felt impossible.


	11. The Retreat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Diavolo organizes a Retreat in his castle

To say the brothers were excited to see I had survived my talk with Lucifer would be an understatement. Mammon and Levi both cheered happily as Beel grabbed me and lifted me up, giving me a once over. After ensuring I was in one piece, he finally set me down. Asmodeus was a little saddened that I had lost my scarf, but he did make a comment about how I looked better without my splint. Satan just looked at me, muttering in surprise that Lucifer had "wasted a healing potion on a mere human", but none-the-less congratulated me on my survival.

Compared to the drama of the previous day, school was rather uneventful and boring. I went to class, took notes, did my assignments, and generally acted like a normal student. It wasn't until the very end of the day where I got invited to sit in on a student council meeting. I walked into the courtroom I had first appeared in when I came to the Devildom, finding all the brothers and Diavolo sitting at their podiums.

"Ah, Belle, welcome," Diavolo greeted.

"Thanks for the invitation," I replied, looking around for somewhere to sit.

"Take a seat under the cow banner," Diavolo prompted. "If that's alright with you, Beelzebub."

"I don't mind," Beel assured him.

I made my way over to the seat, realizing quite quickly it was Belphie's chair. Considering how protective Beel had been of Belphie's side of the room, letting me use his chair so willingly was a nice surprise. I sat down, and Lucifer cleared his throat.

"Alright, I'm going to go ahead and call this officers' meeting to order. To start things off, Lord Diavolo has an announcement for us."

"Yes," Diavolo began, lacing his fingers together. "Well then, I assume that some of you have already heard the rumors about the group retreat."

This caught me by surprise, but it seemed I was the only one. The brothers, sans Lucifer of course, were whispering amongst themselves about it.

"A group retreat, huh?" Satan questioned. "I had heard the rumors, but could they honestly be true?"

"Wouldn't surprise me," Mammon replied. "Seems like something Lord Diavolo would do."

"I can confirm these rumors to be true." My attention was pulled back to Diavolo. "Next week, I will be hosting an exchange party between demons, angels, and humans to be held at the Demon Lord's Castle. I have a feeling it will turn out to be quite an interesting experience for all of us."

"Maybe for you," Lucifer sighed, looking somewhat exhausted. "But for me, it's simply going to mean more headaches."

"Now, now, don't say that, Lucifer," Diavolo admonished teasingly.

"So, demons, angels, and humans are all going to get together and have an exchange event?" Asmo questioned. "Nothing like that has ever happened before, has it?"

"No, indeed not," Diavolo answered. "But, there has to be a first time for everything. And you all are going to be present to witness this particular first."

"Still, a group retreat?" Mammon let out. "Just the fact that you'd call it that tells me it's gonna be a huge hassle..."

"Will there be food?" Beel asked. "Good food?"

"Ah, yes, why don't I let Lucifer give you the rundown on what we have planned," Diavolo suggested.

Lucifer nodded, then began speaking once more.

"The exchange party will be held at the Demon Lord's Castle. In addition to spending the night there, you'll be attending several events, including a dinner party and formal dance."

"A dinner party?" Beel drooled.

My heart dropped at the words "Formal Dance". I couldn't dance to save my life, and I knew I didn't have any formal dancewear.

"Any questions?" Diavolo offered.

"Demon Lord's Castle?" I questioned, feeling a bit embarrassed.

"It's the castle where Lord Diavolo lives," Satan answered. "It's hands down the most magnificent, impressive structure in all of the Devildom."

"And it's just like the castle where the heroine lived in _Fantasium Fantasia 9_!" Levi chimed in. "Now, when it comes to the _Fantasium Fantasia_ series as a whole, it goes without saying that the fourth installment is a timeless masterpiece. Afterwards, the games when 3D polygonal, and the old producer and BGM composer both left, so the general opinion of people online is that those games were trash. Personally, while I agree that the 2D sprite graphics of _Fantasium Fantasia 4_ were great, I think _Fantasium Fantasia 7_ is clearly a masterpiece as well, on par with 4 even. It's known for having an excellent scenario and character designer, and what's more-!"

"Yes, the demon Lord's castle is like something straight out of a fairy tale," Asmo cut off. "It's absolutely beautiful."

"At first glance, sure," Mammon muttered. "But I know _the truth_. I know about tons and tons of horrible stories they tell about that place. It's enough to make your skin crawl."

"Oh really?" I questioned, more playful than serious. "Like what?"

"Barbatos has a secret torture room beneath the castle. And every night, you can hear his victims screams of agony echoing up from outta there...And there's a huge mirror, and behind it is the entrance to a secret labyrinth. And inside that Labyrinth lives a monster that feasts on the innards of demons..."

"So, Asmodeus claims the castle is like a fairytale while Mammon sees it as a hell house," Satan mused before turning to me. "What do you think?"

"I'm thinking that considering the gruesome reputation the House of Lamentation has while being a surprisingly nice place to live, I'm more inclined to believe Asmo."

"Well, you'll get a chance to see for yourself, won't you?" Asmo beamed.

…

"An exchange party?" Belphie repeated before snorting. "Ridiculous."

"Yeah, that's the jist of it," I replied. "I'm not gonna be able to visit you for a while, so I figured I'd at least give you a reason."

"Well, thanks for the heads up, but let's get back on track." Belphie reached through the bars of his attic prison, grasping my wrist and looking at the contract charm bracelet on it. "You managed to make another contract?"

"Yep. With Beel this time."

"Wow..." Belphie released my wrist. "I'll admit, you didn't strike me as the type of person who would come through for me, so I didn't really have my hopes up. But, you seem to be actually gaining their trust."

"Well, almost all of them. Lucifer doesn't trust me one bit. Surprisingly though, he doesn't seem to know we've met."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Apparently there's a spell on the stairs so no demon besides Lucifer can climb them. Being human, I can, so Lucifer must have also placed a spell on the door as well. If I had to wager a guess, it's one that would make it invisible to humans."

"If that's true, then how can _you_ see this room?"

"I wish I knew. I mean, I don't have any magic like Solomon, and I know I'm human… I honestly have no idea why I can."

Belphie didn't seem satisfied by that answer. He met my eyes, as if trying to look into my soul to unravel the mystery.

"I have my suspicions," he admitted. "Namely, I've heard a rumor that you're not just any ordinary exchange student. You were brought here for a reason."

"A reason? Me?"

"Yeah. You need to find out the reason. I'm almost certain you can while at Diavolo's exchange party."

"So, you want me to snoop around and see what I can find? What about the pacts and getting you out?"

"We have bigger fish to fry at the moment. Besides, I know you're curious as to why you were chosen."

I had to admit, this new development was a surprise. If I truly had been chosen for a reason, then maybe there was more to me than meets the eye. Either way, my natural curiosity was eating at me.

"Okay, I'll look into it," I promised.

"Good." Belphie smirked. "This should be very interesting indeed."

…

The very next morning, Lucifer roused us all from bed, urging us to get dressed and get ready for the retreat. I was even lended a leather suitcase so I could pack what little stuff I had. Having moved several times throughout my childhood, I was used to the chore and knew how to do it quickly and efficiently. As such, I was one of the first people in the lobby. I sat down on top of my suitcase, scrolling through Devilgram as I waited for the others. I wasn't too surprised when I heard Mammon's voice booming as he came down the stairs.

"Alright! It's finally time for our retreat! Three days and two nights!" He dropped his suitcase, a battered old thing held together with money printed duct tape, as he wrapped an arm around me. "So, Belle! Are you pumped for this or what?!"

"I will admit, I am looking forward to seeing more of the Devildom."

Mammon released me, giving me a look.

"Hey now, come on, let's hear some more _excitement,_ eh?"

"Actually," Levi's voice came from the top of the stairs, "a little less excitement would be nice. You're being _really_ loud."

Mammon turned to Levi, who was dragging a large, rolling suitcase covered in anime logos and stickers. The third brother looked more than a little miffed, something that didn't go unnoticed by the second-born brother.

"Aw, what's wrong with you, Levi? Get that grumpy look off your face, killjoy." Mammon then perked, an idea coming to him. "Ah, I know what's goin' on here. You stayed up all night playin' games and readin' manga and stuff didn't ya."

"No, you're just too excited right now, Mammon, and it's really annoying."

At that moment, Satan descended the stairs, a sleek, black suitcase in his hand.

"Mammon being annoying is nothing new, but I agree," He reached the bottom of the stairs, setting down the suitcase and crossing his arms. "This morning, he's just _especially_ annoying."

I set down my D.D.D, looking over at Mammon.

"Honestly, I'm surprised you're as excited as you are. I seem to recall you complaining non-stop about how much of a drag this retreat was going to be."

Mammon turned red in the face, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his tunic and looking away.

"Ah shut up, all of you. Sure, I thought it was gonna be a drag, but now that it's actually time to go, I'm excited! Anythin' wrong with that, _huh_?!"

"What are you, an elementary school kid about to head off on a field trip?" Satan quipped.

Before the argument could continue, Beel came down the stairs. He was lugging the biggest suitcase I had ever seen. It was easily twice the size of my own and was a bright red with a sun emblem and several food stickers. Everyone stared as he set them down, Mammon letting out a whistle.

"Whoa, Beel, what's with the bag? It's _way_ too big for this trip." He let out a snicker as an idea hit him. "Did you pack any clothes in there, or is it all food?"

Following right on his heels was Asmodeus, dressed in his favorite casual wear. He had a white stand collar jacket with a zipper closed from his navel to his chest and a pink shirt underneath. His pants were a reddish-pink color with two pockets on each front side, and a belt in a shade of orange wrapped around his waist. Completing his ensemble were black leather shoes and a black scarf loosely wrapped around his shoulders. However, what drew my attention were the two large suitcases he had in each hand.

"You think his bag's big?" I chuckled, gesturing to the top of the stairs, "Check out Asmo's bags."

The two suitcases were about the same size as Beel's, though his were covered in enough pink glitter to make Disney princesses jealous. He set them both down at the foot of the stairs, giving everyone a wave.

"Good morning everyone! My, you're all up early." He sat down on top of one of his cases, crossing his legs like he was sitting down for tea and gossip. "Ugh, I could _not_ decide what to do with my hair this morning, you know? It took so much time..."

"Asmodeus," Satan let out in a mixture of exasperation and confusion, " _why_ do you have so much luggage?"

"Yeah, isn't this retreat only for two nights?" I recalled. "You shouldn't need this much stuff."

"Right?" Mammon declared, gesturing to the suitcases with both arms. "You'd think he was headin' off on a tour of the three worlds or somethin'."

Asmo let out an indignant snort, crossing his arms and turning away.

"This is actually quite a bit less than what I wanted to bring. It occurred to me that I only have two hands, so I could only bring two suitcases with me."

"Actually," Levi piped up, "larger doujinshi artists generally ship their stuff when they go to conventions."

"Well, this is a bit different from an anime convention, Levi," I reminded him. "Besides, doujinshi artists usually have products they're trying to sell that require specific handling instructions. I'm pretty sure all Asmo has his clothing, hair products, and make-up."

"Right on the nose, Belle," Asmo beamed. "After all, everyone expects me to look my best at all times. Being the Avatar of Lust, who am I to disappoint them?"

The brothers all rolled their eyes as Asmo's declaration, and I too fell for the overwhelming urge. Asmo remained oblivious to our antics, still beaming like Miss America. It was at this moment that Lucifer decided to descend the stairs. His suitcase was a simple black one with golden clasps. It was slim and about the size of a brief case, leading me to believe that he was probably the only one of us to pack both neatly and sensibly.

"Excellent, everyone's here. It won't do to keep Diavolo waiting. We should head over to the Demon Lord's castle immediately. I want to get there before the Angels and Solomon."

Everyone gave some form of non-verbal replies, grabbing their suitcases and heading for the door. As I grabbed mine, Mammon came up next to me with a teasing look on his face.

"I hope you're ready, Belle," his voice dropped into an exaggerated spooky tone, "'cause there's no guarantee you'll come back from this alive..."

I scoffed, rolling my eyes.

"Stop trying to scare me, Mammon. It's not gonna work."

"Besides," Satan chimed in, moving so he was walking at the same pace as the two of us, "if you want Belle to be interested in you, attempting to scare her isn't the best source of action."

Mammon stopped in his tracks, his face as red as a tomato as he sputtered and stumbled over his words. After a moment, he regained his senses and rushed to catch up.

"What?! Whaddya mean?!" He gave a snort, turning away. "Why would I want Belle to be interested in me, huh? I was just trying to warn her about the castle, that's all! I mean, I've heard a lotta rumors about stuff like ghosts wanderin' the halls."

"Well, I heard that there's an underground labyrinth beneath the castle," Satan remarked.

"Well, the House of Lamentation is supposed to be haunted, and yet I haven't seen any ghosts. So, I highly doubt there are actual ghosts flitting about," I spoke up. "As for the labyrinth, considering that hidden passages and secret tunnels are rather par for the course when it comes to castles, I'm willing to believe it."

"Get moving, you three!" Lucifer snapped.

Mammon, Satan and I all jumped, rushing to catch up to the other brothers.

…

The Demon Lord's Castle reminded me of Notre Dame, if the famous chapel was five times as big and ten times as wide. Towering spires rose higher than the eye could see, stained glass windows depicting demonic battles of old. The main doors were large enough that a giant could fit through them without having to bend over. However, the most startling thing about the castle was that the inside looked like it was made from a culmination of high grade ivory and polished gold.

Diavolo and Barbatos met us in the grand foyer of the castle, towering columns rising up to vaulted ceilings with glimmering chandeliers. The Demon Lord spread his arms out wide, as if he was waiting for a hug or something.

"Well, good morning. I must say, I couldn't wait for you to arrive!"

"Welcome to the Demon Lord's Castle," Barbatos greeted with poise and grace one would expect from a butler. "It is a pleasure to have you here."

"Good morning, Diavolo. You too, Barbatos." Lucifer said with a polite nod as he glanced around the foyer with a slight smile. "Well, it seems that neither Solomon nor the angels have arrived yet, have they?"

Mammon rolled his eyes, dropping his suitcase and giving an exaggerated shrug.

"Man, now that's just shameless. Listen to you pretendin' like ya didn't hurry over here all frantic like, forcing us out of bed early so we'd be the first ones at Lord Diavolo's."

Lucifer glanced over at Mammon, his gaze as cold as ice. I felt a chill run down my spine just being in the vicinity of that frosty look.

"Hm?" the eldest brother let out, crossing his arms. "Did you say something, Mammon?"

Mammon swallowed hard, shrinking into the coat of his uniform as he muttered something along the lines of "No, Lucifer sir" under his breath. Diavolo watched the exchange and laughed merrily.

"Well, it seems Lucifer and Mammon are getting along as well as ever."

"Honestly, I'm surprised Mammon is still alive," I admitted. "How nobody's gone and killed him yet is beyond me."

"My guess, sheer dumb luck," Satan spoke up. "I'm just embarrassed at the thought of Solomon and the angels getting a front row seat to all of Mammon's idiocy."

"I'm standing _right here!_ " Mammon snapped, glaring at Satan with a withering scowl.

About that time, there was the sound of gentle knocking on the main doors. Barbatos smiled, stepping towards the doors.

"Speaking of our other guests, it would appear they've just arrived."

He pulled the large doors open, allowing Simeon and Luke to come in. Simeon looked around with an appraising eye, admiring the architecture before noticing me and the brothers. With a smile that only an angel could pull off, he gave a small wave to us all.

"Hello, and good morning! Seems we've already got quite the crowd here, don't we?"

All of a sudden, Luke's eyes locked onto me. He looked shocked for a brief moment, then he broke out into a grin as he rushed over to me. Before I even knew what was going on, he had thrown his arms around my waist, burying his face in my shirt.

"Belle! You're okay!" I felt liquid on my shirt and I realized that Luke was crying. "I was so worried!"

Carefully, I wrapped my arms around Luke in what I hoped was a comforting manner. As I did, I heard the sound of grinding teeth. A quick glance over my shoulder revealed a fuming Mammon glaring daggers at Luke.

"You… little mutt… how dare you just run up and hug Belle like that!"

Beel looked a bit uncomfortable at the exchange, rubbing his pact bracelet. Levi just rolled his eyes, crossing his arms while pouting.

"Ugh… this is why I can't stand normies..."

Luke finally pulled himself out of my short, wiping his eyes and smiling up at me.

"I'm so glad you're alright! I was afraid Lucifer had killed you! Or worse!"

I let out a small laugh, patting him on the shoulder.

"I'm okay Luke, I promise. Not so much as a scratch."

"Mostly due to that potion Lucifer gave you," Satan pointed out.

"I'm so, so sorry, Belle," Luke apologized. "If Diavolo hadn't gotten there in time, you would have died… and it would have been all my fault. I wanted to come and make sure you were okay, but Simeon insisted it was a bad idea."

"Smart call," I admitted.

"Even so, I've been beside myself with worry. Please forgive me, Belle."

"There's nothing to forgive, Luke. I promise, we're all good."

Luke grinned from ear to ear.

"Are you actually an angel? Is that it? An angel disguised as a human?"

"Nope, she's completely human," Solomon's voice called out from the door. "Though an exceptionally lucky one from what I've seen."

We all turned to see Solomon being allowed in by Barbatos. To my surprise, he looked completely different from what I was used to. He was wearing a black, long-sleeved shirt with a mock turtleneck, black pants with a black belt, and meticulously shined black shoes. Completing the ensemble was a black and blue gradient cape with white speckles and metallic gold trimming, black shoulder pads, and a white stole with metallic gold diamond-linked chains. For perhaps the first time since I'd met him, he legitimately looked like a sorcerer.

"From what I heard, Simeon and Diavolo had to get together and mediate a solution."

"Indeed we did," Simeon nodded.

"Isn't that right, Lucifer?" Diavolo questioned, smirking in a, pun unintended, devilish manner.

Lucifer crossed his arms, glancing away. His expression was a mixture of anger, embarrassment, and annoyance. For a brief moment, he and Luke met each other's eyes. It lasted for barely a second, then both looked away, Luke looking down like a dog with its tail between its legs.

"...yes," Lucifer answered after a moment.

Luke just remained silent. Just then, Diavolo clapped his hands together, getting everyone's attention.

"Alright, enough of that," he insisted. "Now that we're all here, perhaps we should go ahead and explain how this retreat is going to work."

"Certainly, my lord," Barbatos said with a small nod. "The aim of this retreat is for demons, angels, and humans to intermingle so that each may gain a better understanding of the other."

Mammon let out a malicious chuckle.

"Well, as we're stayin' the night, I say the best way to _intermingle_ is by havin a pillow fight!"

As per usual, everyone ignored Mammon.

"Now, I will begin by explaining what we have planned for each day of the retreat," Barbatos continued without missing a beat. "After you've taken your belongings up to your rooms, we'll begin with a tour of the Demon Lord's Castle, where you'll have a chance to learn about Devildom history. Tonight, we'll be dining on genuine Devildom cuisine, prepared by myself, for dinner."

Next to me, Beel began drooling, his eyes sparkling at the prospect.

"Barbatos' authentic Devildom cuisine..."

"Tomorrow, we'll have a scavenger hunt throughout the castle, " Barbatos went on, "followed by a Celestial Realm dinner courtesy of Luke."

A roll of thunder then echoed through the castle. I was a little worried about the noise until I remembered that there was no weather in the Devildom, which is when I turned to Beel. He was rubbing his stomach, which roared again like thunder.

"Food from the Celestial Realm..."

"I just hope Luke remembers that he's making dinner," Simeon remarked. "Otherwise, he'll make nothing but sweets and cakes."

"I know, I know," Luke whined.

"Incidentally, there will also be a dance following tomorrow's dinner," Barbatos went on. "Then on day three, the final day, we'll get to enjoy food from the human world for lunch. This meal will be the combined effort of both Solomon and Belle."

"Wait, what?!" I exclaimed, completely caught off guard by this declaration. "Nobody told me about this!"

"I did send notice regarding our plans," Barbatos insisted.

"Yeah, well, I never got them! This is news to me!"

Lucifer turned to Mammon, giving the greedy demon a death glare.

"Mammon, I recall giving you specific instructions to inform Belle of this arrangement. Did you not do as I requested?"

Mammon gulped, letting out a nervous laugh as he rubbed the back of his head.

"H-huh… I uh- I coulda sworn… I mentioned… that… at some..." He trickled off after that, burying his head in his jacket.

"Well then," Barbatos announced. "How about we move on to the room assignments?" He turned to Lucifer first. "Lucifer, you will be sharing a room with Lord Diavolo."

That cut off Lucifer's death glare for a moment, his focus turned to Diavolo in confusion.

"You have your own bedroom," he pointed out. "Why are you sharing a room with me?"

"Why else?" Diavolo laughed joyously. "Because this is a retreat, of course!"

Lucifer signed, rubbing his forehead in exasperation.

"You certainly seem to be looking forward to this."

"Luke, Beelzebub, Leviathan," Barbatos listed off, "you will be sharing a room."

The three beings he'd listed off didn't seem to notice. Beel had taken the opportunity to go through Levi's bag, finding a figurine of an anthropomorphic pancake stack. He attempted to eat it before he was yelled at by Levi, who snatched the figurine back. Luke just looked at the two, letting out a worried groan.

"I have a really, really, bad feeling about this..."

"Simeon, Asmodeus, Belle," I perked when Barbatos said my name. "You'll be sharing a room as well. Finally, Solomon, Mammon, and Satan will be sharing."

Mammon sputtered, clearly unhappy with the arrangement.

"Wh..?! What…?!" He then turned to Asmo, grabbing him by his jacket. "Yo, Asmo, we're switching rooms!"

"What?" Asmo asked, looking surprised at Mammon's forcefulness. "Why?"

"Because-!" He cut himself off, his tsundere kicking in and stealing his voice. He released Asmo, now tripping over his words. "Because… uh… Y'know… Solomon looks like he snores, and...and Satan's feet probably stink..."

Solomon snorted, crossing his arms and giving Mammon a disappointed look.

"Well, that's an awfully rude thing to accuse me of. And it's not true."

"Also, my feet don't smell, Mammon," Satan added in, placing a hand on his hip while glaring at his brother.

"Admit it Mammon," I spoke up, a knowing smirk on my face as I crossed my arms. "You're just trying to weasel your way into sharing a room with me."

Mammon turned beet red.

"Wh?! You idi…! N-No I don't!" He protested feebly. "Why would I want to share a room with _you?!_ I mean...a _human?!_ When you sleep in the same room as one, their smell ends up rubbin off on ya! I'm still getting her stink out of my pajamas after she fell asleep on me during our TSL marathon."

"Ew, is that why you haven't washed those pajamas?" Levi questioned.

" _That's not the point!_ The point is Asmo should be grateful I'm even willing to trade with him! He should be _honored_ actually!"

I just laughed, shaking my head. Asmo smirked, crossing his arms.

"I see. Well, if that's the case, then I'll spare you the frustration," He quipped, wrapping an arm around me and pulling me in close. "My answer is no."

" _Why not?!_ " Mammon shouted.

"Because if you're _so_ vocal about your dislike of humans, I'm doing _you_ a favor by turning you down." There was a shit eating grin on Asmo's face as he nuzzled his head against mine. "Thank you, but no thank you."

Mammon just let out an animalistic growl before Lucifer snapped his fingers.

"How long do you all intend to goof around in the lobby? Let's go. It's time to take your belongings up to your room."

He then grabbed Mammon by the ear, dragging him off as the rest of us grabbed our things, following Barbatos to our assigned rooms.


	12. The Demon Lord's Castle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first day of the retreat begins, and things already begin to go south

The guest room in the Demon Lord's Castle I was to share with Asmo and Simeon was a very spacious one. It was situated in one of the castle towers, so the room itself was circular in shape, although calling it a decagon would also work. The walls were a deep burgundy color with golden arching and flower decals where the wall meets ceiling. There were three, full sized beds set up along adjacent walls, antique lanterns lighting up the room, and tasteful flower displays on the nightstands by each bed.

Once we made it into the room, we each laid claim to a bed. I chose the bed in the middle with Asmo taking the one closest to the bathroom, no doubt so he would have first dibs on it in the mornings, and Simeon took the one by the door. Once we were all situated, Simeon turned to me and Asmo, smiling in the warm, angelic way that just seemed to come naturally to him.

"Now that we've gotten ourselves situated, I would like to take this opportunity to say I look forward to sharing a space with the two of you these next few days."

"Yes, me too," Asmo agreed. "And I have to say, Belle, Simeon, you two certainly lucked up, now didn't you?"

I raised an eyebrow, sitting down on my bed and crossing my arms in an incredulous manner.

"Is that so?" I questioned. "And what makes you say that?"

"Why, because you get to share a room with _me._ "

I swear I saw flowers surrounding Asmo as he beamed at me and Simeon. I just rolled my eyes at the antics while Simeon gave a polite nod.

"Ah, yes," he remarked. "I suppose you could say we're lucky to have you on our team."

Asmo remained remarkably oblivious to my annoyance and Simeon's polite deflections, smiling widely at both of us. He grabbed my arm, pulling me to my feet before wrapping his arms around both me and Simeon. The lustful demon's flowery cologne filled my nose with the scent of wildflowers as he hugged us close and giggled.

"Now, now, there's no need to hide how thrilled you _really_ are right now. Just stop and think about it for a moment. You'll be sharing a room with _me_ ," he released Simeon long enough to flourish his hand a little and gesture to himself, "with Asmodeus himself. Which means you'll be there to see me when I first wake up in the morning, after I've stepped out of the shower, when I get sleepy and start to doze off, when I'm changing clothes…"

He gave both Simeon and me a twirl, sending us spinning slightly out of his arms. Simeon regained his balance first, reaching out and catching me before I ended up flat on the floor. Once again, Asmo was completely oblivious to anything besides himself.

"For three days and two nights, you actually get to witness the most private sides of me. Now, if that's not what you call amazing luck, I don't know what is."

I was beyond done at this point, just flopping onto my bed to wait out Asmo's self-centered power trip. Simeon was kinder than I was, giving Asmo a smile and a small laugh.

"I have to say, you really are funny, aren't you Asmodeus?" the angel asked rhetorically.

"Funny?" Asmo replied, still smiling. "I believe you mean beautiful." He actually twirled on his toes as he said this, blowing a kiss and flashing a peace sign. "It's okay, you can just come out and say it, you know? What sort of image did you have of me in the first place, Simeon?"

Simeon seemed to genuinely ponder the question for a moment, sitting down on his bed and gently stroking his chin. I watched him, curious myself as to his opinion. Unlike Like, Simeon was nigh impossible to read, and I wanted even a small glimpse into his character.

"Well, let me think," Simeon said after a moment. "I suppose I still think of you the same way I did back when you were up in the Celestial Realm." He smiled, leaning back slightly. "'Lucifer, the pride of the Celestial Realm, loved by all of creation… there was one angel he thought especially beautiful, one whom he praised and kept at his side. 'Twas Asmodeus, jewel of the heavens'."

Asmodeus beamed at the praise.

"Yes, yes exactly! That's me!"

"That last bit sounded like something out of a Shakespearian novel," I spoke up, rolling onto my stomach and looking up at Simeon. "Don't tell me that's a biblical verse in some hidden testament."

"Actually, I heard it from a traveling minstrel," Simeon explained. "He wrote that verse once, and it stuck with me after hearing it. But, I digress. To answer your question, Asmodeus, I suppose I see you as someone who's very attached to that reputation, and works day in and day out trying to live up to it."

That seemed to pull Asmo out of his self-indulgent stupor. He gained a deer in the headlights look, slowly blinking as he just stared at Simeon.

"...what?" he let out after a moment. "Are you saying you see me as someone who _wants to be loved?_ "

"I'd say it's fitting," I spoke up. "You're always preening and fishing for compliments. You're on Devilgram almost all the time, posting selfies and seeking validation through your followers."

"That's not true..." Asmo insisted, blushing slightly and pointedly not looking me in the eye. If I didn't know any better, I'd say he was pouting. "I mean, naturally I think no one in the three worlds is more deserving of love than I am, but that's just common sense now, isn't it? Think about it. Is there anyone out there who _doesn't_ love me?"

"And I rest my case," I declared.

Simeon glanced at me curiously, then turned back to Asmo.

"I wonder," the angel spoke up. "If you were to ever find a soul that you could neither charm nor control, how would you react?"

"Now that is a good question," I admitted. "What would you do if there was someone who didn't immediately fall for your usual routines and tricks?"

"If such a person even exists," Asmo countered. "Which they don't, by the way."

I laughed a bit, rolling my eyes at the size of Asmo's overly inflated ego. Before anything more could be said on the matter, there was a knock on the door. Desperate for an escape from my flowery roommate, I eagerly answered the door. Standing there with a smile on his face was none other than Satan.

"The tour of the Demon Lord's Castle is starting soon."

"Well then," Simeon stood up, straightening his cloak before joining me at the door, "shall we be off?"

…

Simeon, Asmo and I met up with the rest of our group. They were all waiting idly in the main hall, talking amongst themselves. As we joined them, Luke came over to us, rushing forward and burying his face in Simeon's shirt.

"I want to go home..." he whined.

"What's wrong, Luke?" Simeon questioned, gently dislodging his child-like companion from his midriff. "You seemed in such high spirits earlier."

"Yeah," Asmo remarked. "All of a sudden, your little tail is tucked between your legs."

"I'm _not_ a dog!" Luke snapped, throwing his fists down and stamping his foot. "And I _don't_ have a tail!"

"Ignore him, Luke," I insisted, giving Luke a genuinely concerned look. "What happened that caused you to deflate like this?"

"My roommates..." Luke groaned, practically sinking into the tiled floor. "Leviathan has taken over half of the room, performing some strange ritual worshiping some sort of idol."

I let out a very long sigh, turning to Levi with an exasperated look. He didn't seem to take notice, just smiling to himself happily.

"Levi, were you actually worshipping your Ruri-chan dolls?"

"Well, tomorrow is her birthday festival," he explained, still beaming like nobody's business. "When the clock strikes midnight, I've got to go online and start streaming. How else am I supposed to share my deep passion, and joy, and infatuation-"

"Levi," I cut him off. "You're not in the House of Lamentations right now. You need to be considerate of your roommates."

"He's not the only problem, Belle," Luke insisted. "Beelzebub actually started eating one of the paintings in our room."

I groaned, facepalming hard.

"Of course he did. Let me guess, it was a still life of fruit."

"How'd you know?" Luke asked.

"Call it a lucky guess."

That's when Mammon came over, scooping up Luke and giving him a massive noogie.

"Aw, the little chihuahua can't handle a little teasing from Levi and Beel?"

"I'm _not a chihuahua!"_ Luke shrieked. "And stop giving me noogies!"

He kicked and struggled until he finally managed to break free of Mammon's grip. As he adjusted his robe and fixed his beret, I looked at Mammon with a confused and suspicious glare.

"Okay, what's going on, Mammon? Earlier, you were acting so pissy, and now you're all smiles and jokes. Start talking."

"Belle's right," Asmo agreed. "Did you spot something in your room that you could sell for a profit?"

Mammon choked, going a bit pale before looking pointedly at the ground.

"Wh-?! No! No, I'm not plannin' to do anything like that!"

Asmo and I exchanged disbelieving looks before turning back to the greedy demon. I crossed my arms and just continued to glare at him.

"Right… You're totally not thinking about stealing something from the castle the first chance you get."

"Exactly!" Mammon declared. "And it's not like Solomon, Satan, and I realized we've got shared interests and common goals. I mean, what would Solomon want with some of the magical items that the Demon King has, and I know Satan wants to give Lucifer a black eye, but he always does. So why would I ever suggest us workin' together to make things more interesting?! Huh? Why?"

My eyes shot over to where Satan and Solomon were standing. Both looked very annoyed at Mammon, with Satan clenching his fists so tightly that his knuckles were white. Solomon was just shaking his head, letting out a low groan as he rubbed his forehead.

"Solomon," Satan hissed, "shut that idiot up _right now._ "

"Don't look at me," Solomon replied, not even looking up or opening his eyes. "Isn't he your responsibility? You _are_ his brother after all."

Thankfully, before the situation could become any more awkward or tense, Diavolo emerged from one of the many hallways on the second floor. He stood out on a balcony above us, Lucifer by his side as he looked down upon us with a smile.

"Welcome, everyone! It is time to begin the tour of the Demon Lord's Castle."

Mammon looked up at his brother, wiping his brow in relief.

"Phew," he let out. "If he's all the way up there, there's no way in all three realms that he heard what I said."

Lucifer's eyes locked on his younger brother and his brow furrowed with suspicion and annoyance.

"Mammon, when our tour is over, you are to report to my room and explain everything you said in detail."

Mammon yelped and I snorted, shaking my head.

"Maybe not, but I'm pretty sure he heard and saw your obvious signs of guilt."

"Not to mention, you were shouting pretty loudly," Asmo tacked on.

"Idiot..." Satan groaned, facepalming hard.

"Now, now," a strange, somewhat nasally voice spoke up, making me perk in confusion. "I think it's nice to have at least one foolish character in the group you can tease. It lightens things up a little, don't you think?"

"Hey! Mammon snapped, looking around for the source of the voice. "Who're you callin' _foolish?!_ "

"I'm more concerned with where that voice came from," Simeon spoke up, actually looking concerned. "I do not believe it was any of the brothers, nor any of us exchange students."

"No it wasn't," I agreed.

"Nope!" the voice declared.

All of a sudden, a basketball sized black wisp suddenly popped into existence. It has massive gold and grey eyes, an equally massive mouth lined with razor sharp white teeth. It had a black top hat on its head, a golden band decorating it, and a pair of golden horns curling out on either side. The only limbs it seemed to have were thin, spindly arms and a zig-zagged tail, meaning it had to fly to get around. As it zipped around the room a bit, it left a small trail of black shadows in its wake that seemed to fall from its body like snow.

"Allow me to introduce myself," the strange creature declared, tilting forward as if bowing to us. "I am Little D. No. 2! But, you can just call me Number Two, mmkay?"

"What the-?!" Luke suddenly exclaimed, diving behind both me and Simeon before peeking out at the Little D. "What is that thing?! A tiny demon?!"

"He looks yummy," Beel drooled, licking his lips.

"Careful, Beel," Solomon spoke up. "He'll make you sick to your stomach."

"Part of me wants to know how you know that, but the other part of me knows better," I muttered softly to myself.

"In a way, you're correct Luke," Diavolo spoke up. "The Little D's are a subclass of demons. I suppose you could call them imps. They mostly act as servants or messengers, especially here in my palace. Number Two here is going to be acting as your tour guide."

"Hold on," Solomon spoke up. "I was under the impression that Barbatos was going to be leading the tour. I was looking forward to learning more of his extensive knowledge."

"Unfortunately, Barbatos has some student council business to attend to at the moment," Diavolo lamented. "It's why I assigned Number Two the task. He may be small, but he knows almost as much as Barbatos does about the palace."

"Aw, you're making me blush," Number Two told him, his face turning a slight yellow color. "I may know my way around, but even I'm not that good."

"Such modesty," Lucifer commented, smirking slightly. "He's the complete opposite of a certain _other_ 'number two' I know."

" _A certain other number two?_ " Mammon questioned. "Who's that?"

I laughed slightly, shaking my head before sighing.

"Mammon, it is a miracle you've made it as far as you have in your education."

"Okie dokie then," Number Two declared, clapping his tiny hands and buzzing around our group excitedly. "I'll go ahead and give a quick rundown of what we're going to be seeing on our tour. The history of the Demon Lord's Castle is the history of the Devildom itself! We're going to be viewing all sorts of historical artifacts and works of art housed here in the castle. In the process, you'll learn all about the Devildom!"

"Boring..." Mammon groaned.

"To you, maybe," I told him. "Honestly, I'm super excited. I seriously want to learn all I can about this place."

"Well then," Number Two declared, flying over to a portrait on one of the walls. "We'll start here, with the portrait of the Demon King himself."

I looked up at the massive portrait, surprised to find that it wasn't of Diavolo. Instead, it showed an older man with a thick beard, and similar red hair to Diavolo. I could only assume this was his father.

"So this is what he looks like now," Luke commented. "The last time I saw him was at a ceremony over a thousand years ago."

"This is the most recent picture of him, yes," Diavolo agreed. "However, it's still several hundred years old, painted just before he went to slumber at the bottom of the Devildom."

"Wait," I spoke up. "Your dad just up and left to take a nap centuries ago and left you in charge?"

"Indeed," Diavolo nodded, a rare, serious expression on his face. "He doesn't have much interest in the world at large these days."

Solomon didn't seem to be paying attention to the portrait. Instead, he seemed to be thoroughly examining a large crown resting on a pedestal. It was made out of gold, the base lined with rubies as the points grew out of it, long and skinny. They almost looked like bones.

"This crown," he called out after a moment. "What is it? Did it belong to the Demon King?"

"Hmm?" Number Two let out before noticing the crown. "Oh, I didn't notice that there. I'm afraid I'm not sure who it belonged to. Maybe it's the Demon Kings?"

"Actually, it belonged to the previous Demon King," Lucifer corrected, shaking his head. "There's an inscription on the inside that should say as much."

Number Two hovered over the crown, searching for a moment.

"Ah, you're right Lucifer! I just found the inscription."

"Maybe you should be leading the tour, Lucifer," Asmo insisted, beaming at his eldest brother. "You certainly know your stuff."

"Only because when I first came here, Diavolo explained what each item here was. In excruciating detail. For hours on end."

Diavolo laughed at the memory.

"I did, didn't I? Ah, those were the days, eh Lucifer?"

Lucifer let out a long, exasperated sigh as Mammon gave a shrug.

"Man, I've gotta hand it to Lord Diavolo. Even when Lucifer gets sarcastic like that, it _still_ doesn't get to him."

"You're assuming it registered as sarcasm to him in the first place," Solomon pointed out.

…

The tour continued deeper into the palace. Soon, the golden, gilded halls from the foyer faded away to darker halls made of dark stone. Torches and sconces lined the columned walls, portraits of all shapes and sizes lining the various corridors. I would be lying if I said there weren't points where I got a little creeped out by the lighting and the dozens upon dozens of paintings that seemed to be staring into my soul. Thankfully, Beel seemed to notice and just quietly took my hand in his. I silently wondered if he used to do the same with Belphie and Lilith when they were younger.

"Ugh..." Mammon groaned loudly. "It's nothin' but paintings in here!"

"I have to agree," Satan spoke up. "There are plenty in the House of Lamentation too, but not as many as there are here."

"I haven't stopped to look at these in quite some time myself," Diavolo admitted.

"Whoa..." Luke gasped. "There's even a picture of the Celestial Realm here..."

"Seriously?" I let out, going over to where Luke was standing. "Where?"

He pointed out the picture of a massive, crystalline palace surrounded by flowers of every color of the sunset. A light mist and a beautiful rainbow framed the palace, and the sky was as clear as crystal. Diavolo noticed the picture as well, smiling at it.

"Ah yes. I believe this was painted around the time that I first met Lucifer."

Lucifer's posture stiffened and he seemed to choke for a brief moment.

"Hey," he said after a moment, looking somewhat desperately at Diavolo. "Let's not bring that up-"

"Oh what's the harm in it?" Diavolo interjected, waving Lucifer down. "The first time I met you, you were simply so divine, so awe-inspiring that you took my breath away. I just couldn't believe that such a beautiful, magnificent angel actually existed. And then there was the way you refused to even shake my hand at first."

Lucifer released a mournful sigh, shaking his head.

"Why do you sound so happy right now?"

"I'm more curious about how you went from clearly hating him to serving at his side," I remarked. "I mean, refusing to shake Diavolo's hand? That's practically unthinkable with the current you."

"All this walking around is making me hungry," Beel suddenly spoke up, his stomach growling so loud that it almost sounded like a monster.

His declaration was met with almost off of the brothers rolling their eyes and grumbling about Beel always being hungry. Levi was the only one not commenting, the otaku demon just staring at his phone as he posted something on Devilgram.

"Man, this tour of the Demon Lord's Castle only just started and I'm already totally sick of it! lolol!" he typed out. "And… sent."

"Levi, you shouldn't post stuff like that online," I admonished.

"BEEL?!" Mammon shrieked, causing me to turn to see Beel holding his arm towards his mouth. "Quit gnawing on my elbow!"

All of a sudden, someone let out a horrible shriek, one I nearly mimicked as I instinctively latched onto Beel. He spat out Mammon's arm, pulling me close as we all searched for the source of the scream.

"Wh-What was that?!" Luke cried out, hiding behind Simeon.

"It almost sounded like a woman screaming," Simeon told him.

"I screamed, but only after the sound," I told them, still clinging to Beel. "And I'm the only girl in this entire group."

The scream rang out again, making everyone jump. Levi was immediately on his phone, making another post.

"Just heard terrible scream. Probs gonna die. the Demon Lord's Castle... and sent."

"Levi!" I snapped. "Now is not the time to be posting on social media!"

"Who is that screaming?" Beel questioned.

"I'm not sure," Asmo remarked, a curious expression on his face. "However, I'm pretty sure I've heard that scream somewhere before."

"Oh you have!" a brand new female voice shrieked. "How could you, Asmodeus!? _**How could you?!**_ "

"Aha!" Mammon declared, pointing at one of the paintings on the wall. "I found our screamer!"

He was pointing at an image of a beautiful red-haired woman. She had sparkling green eyes and was wearing a white dress from the 1300s if I had to wager a guess. However, her face was contorted with rage, and she was glaring right at Asmo.

"This is all your fault!" she screamed. "All of this, Asmodeus, is because of _**YOU!**_ "

"You're right, Mammon," Solomon remarked in surprise. "But… how is that portrait talking?"

"Because it's the portrait of Helene, the witch."

"Helene..." Asmo muttered, tugging on his bottom lip a bit as he mulled on the name. "Helene, Helene… I know that name somehow- oh yes! Helene! I remember now!"

"Good," I said before finally letting go of Beel to give Asmo my full and undivided attention. "Then you can explain just what the heck is going on here. Who is Helene and why does she seem to hate your guts?"

"Oh, I can answer that for you," Number Two spoke up, flying over to Helene's painting. "Helene was once known far and wide as a witch of unparalleled beauty! Countless humans, angels, and demons alike fell under her spell. But then, Asmodeus here came along and seduced her, leading her to betray her lover at the time."

There were several groans from the crowd, myself included.

"Yep..." I let out. "Why am I not surprised?"

"War erupted as a result of her betrayal," Number Two went on, "a great war that destroyed an entire country. And Helene was derided as a horrible, wicked woman who had sold her soul to a demon. What she had to endure was awful..."

"So, all of this happened because Asmodeus fooled around with some woman long ago?" Satan questioned.

"One of Asmodeus' ex-girlfriends just showed up. OMG!" Levi typed out on his phone. "And… sent!"

"Leviathan," Luke said with a shake of his head. "You know you sound like a teenage girl, right?"

"Everyone, everyone!" Asmo laughed, smiling widely as he waved everyone down. "We're talking about something that happened hundreds of years ago! Although, I have to admit Helene, I never expected to run into you here of all places! I mean, what are the chances?! How have you been? Whatcha up to these days?"

I actually blinked in surprise.

"Is it just me… or is he actually trying to _flirt_ with the angry portrait?"

"Nope..." Solomon sighed, shaking his head. "It's not just you..."

"What am I up to?" Helene repeated, the paint on her face turning red from fury. "After what happened, I incurred the wrath of the nephew of my former lover, who was a very powerful sorcerer. He sealed me in the painting as punishment for breaking his uncle's heart."

"Wait, Demetrios?" Asmo questioned, looking shocked. "I don't believe it! The first time I saw him, he was just a little munchkin. You're telling me he grew up to be a sorcerer capable of doing something like _that?!_ Well that _is_ impressive!" He smirked, turning to me with a lustful smile. "You know, Demetrio's father was a grade-A hunk, so I imagine his son must've turned into _quite_ the man himself."

"Asmo..." I groaned. "Angry portrait of your ex, remember?"

"Right, right." Asmo turned back to the portrait. "Why didn't you _tell_ me this happened to you? I would've come straight over to help." He rolled his eyes, shaking his head and chuckling. "Helene, you are so stubborn sometimes, I swear."

" _ **Silence!**_ " Helene shrieked.

All that did was make Asmo laugh again.

"Oh it's been so long since I've heard you say that! Ah, the memories..."

"Asmodeus..." Helene growled. "You haven't changed a bit! You're still the same awful womanizer of a demon you've always been! Not a day has gone by that I haven't thought of how much I hate you! Not one! Single! _**DAY!**_ "

"Aww, I've missed you too," Asmo gushed.

"Uh, Asmo?" I let out, feeling anger radiating off of the portrait. "You should really stop talking now..."

"I may be trapped in this portrait..." Helene let out, snarling maliciously, "but I haven't lost all my power. Oh no, in fact, I still have power enough to capture you, as you're about to see!"

"Oh dear..." Number Two let out. "Everyone, let us give Helene some much needed privacy… lest you wish to learn if there's any truth to the legends that she truly can drag anyone who gets too close into her painting with her."

Just as he said that, a powerful wind began to blow, pushing everyone towards the painting. The canvas stretched out as a painted hand reached through, grabbing onto the back of Mammon's jacket. He screeched in terror as he was pulled back, latching onto Levi to try and steady himself. This caused both of them to be dragged into the canvas, paint literally crawling across their bodies.

"C'mon, Levi!" he screamed. "Dig your heels in or we're both screwed!"

"I'm trying! I'm trying!" Levi cried out, scrambling for any sort of foothold as they vanished from sight.

"Levi!" I screamed. "Mammon!"

Suddenly, her other hand came out and managed to snag Beel by his arm just as her first arm snaked out and grabbed Solomon's ankle. Upon realizing he was caught, Solomon took hold of Asmo's arm.

"Hey!" Asmo yelped. "What's with the death grip?"

"This is all your fault, right?" Solomon reminded him. "As such, you're not going to escape from this rightfully deserved punishment while the rest of us suffer."

"Oh, is that all?" Asmo questioned. "Well then, I'm bringing Belle with us!"

He reached out and grabbed my arm before I even had a chance to protest. The second I felt the unrelenting pull of the pissed portrait witch, I dug my heels in, trying to keep us from getting trapped. Unfortunately, even if I wasn't trying to keep three people out, I was no match for Helene's power. The paint crawled over all of us and we vanished into the painting...


	13. The Labryinth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to Asmo, Belle is stuck in an underground tunnel. Hopefully, she doesn't get eaten.

"...Belle," a distant voice called out. "...Belle."

I groaned, slowly opening my eyes. My entire body felt sore and my head was killing me. I rubbed my face and slowly sat up. As I did, I opened my eyes to see Solomon looking me over. He seemed to sigh in relief as I met his gaze.

"Belle..." he let out. "You're awake. Good."

I nodded slightly, looking around. We appeared to be in some sort of long hallway. The walls were made out of rough stone bricks, dim torches lining the area just below the ceiling. However, to my surprise, we were completely alone.

"What happened?" I questioned. "Where's everyone else?"

"We were all dragged into the painting," Solomon replied, helping me to my feet. "Aside from that, I'm not entirely sure. As far as I can tell, we're the only ones in the immediate vicinity."

"That doesn't sound good..." I muttered. "Two humans alone in unfamiliar territory of the Devildom..."

"You're right," Solomon nodded, a serious expression on his face. "This situation is quite hazardous for the both of us. Thus, I'll go ahead and call Asmodeus over."

That made me pause.

"Wait, what? How?"

"By summoning him, of course. If you have a pact with a demon, you can call them to your side whenever you want. Though given your lack of magical power, I imagine it would be quite a difficult task for you."

I glanced down at my pact bracelet, fingering the charms slightly.

"Shame..." I remarked. "And I have pacts with the other three demons that got dragged in with us."

"It's alright," Solomon told me, waving me down. "We'll find them, eventually. For now, just watch."

He rolled up his sleeve, revealing that his entire left arm was covered in several bizarre, arcane runes. He rested his finger over a light pink symbol that looked like a heart made out of a split arrow, a tiny heart resting on the split.

"Is that your pact mark?" I questioned.

"Yes, it is," Solomon replied. "My pacts take the form of marks along my arm. I have a total of 72 different markings all across my arm and even parts of my chest."

"Huh… guess I got lucky with the charm bracelet."

"Indeed. Now, for the spell..." He placed two fingers on the symbol, pinkish-purple mist swirling around his hand as his eyes flashed with power. " _Hear me, denizens of the darkness, you who are born of shadow and you who give birth to it. Hear me and do as I command! I, Solomon, call upon you to send forth one of your numbers! I summon the Avatar of Lust, Asmodeus!_ "

There was a bright flash of light, then all of a sudden, Asmodeus seemed to drop out of nowhere. He landed right in front of us, screaming as he fell before hissing in pain.

"Ow..." he let out. "That hurt… Solomon, how many times have I told you to be more _gentle_ when summoning me? What if I had injured my, you know, my face, hm?" He waved a hand in a circle around his face, as if it were the most important feature he possessed. "What then?"

"Stop complaining, Asmo," Solomon retorted, helping Asmo to his feet. "This is your fault, anyhow. Now, where exactly are we?"

"If I had to wager a guess, I'd say we're in that underground labyrinth that's supposed to be beneath the Demon Lord's Castle."

"Right," I recalled, snapping my fingers. "Satan mentioned something about a labyrinth before. Guess he was right about that one."

"What happened to the others?" Solomon went on.

"I don't know," Asmo said with a shrug. "But I'll tell you this much: We'd better find Beel before he gets _really_ hungry. We have to get him out of here, or we'll have a real problem on our hands."

"Let me guess," I spoke up. "If we don't, he'll get Hangry, and go on a rampage that'll make what he did to the kitchen look like child's play?"

"Precisely," Asmo declared.

Solomon sucked in a breath through his teeth.

"Certainly not something I would care to be caught in the middle of. Very well then. First, we'll focus on Mammon and Leviathan."

…

I wasn't sure how long we had been walking, or even where we were. The walls of the labyrinth were identical no matter which way we turned. I had long since lost track of which way we were going, and I was beginning to feel hungry and tired. I did my best to keep my complaints to myself, but Asmo held no such qualms.

"Solomon..." he whined. "How far does this labyrinth go? Are you even sure we're going the right way?"

"Quiet, Asmo," Solomon admonished. "In case you've forgotten, _you're_ the reason we're in this mess to begin with."

"Me?" Asmo questioned, placing a hand to his sternum and looking like a posh woman who was just told she couldn't bring her small dog into a restaurant. "Why me? It's not like I did anything wrong. Belle, you agree with me, right?"

"No, I don't agree," I told him. "You ruined Helene's life, and condemned her to literal centuries of being trapped in a painting. The worst part is you don't seem to care enough to even consider apologizing."

"Apologize? Me? I'm sorry, but I'm not quite sure why you'd want me to do that."

"Not sure why-" I cut myself off, pinching the bridge of my nose. "An entire _**country**_ was destroyed, a couple was ripped apart, and a woman was trapped for eternity in a fucking painting!"

"But how was I supposed to know that would happen, hm?" Asmo challenged. "It's not like I manipulated Helene, after all. I simply gave her an opportunity to have what she wanted. I gave her a chance to unleash her inner desire."

"Inner desire?" I repeated, confused.

Asmo chuckled a bit, smiling at me like I was a lost child.

"Oh Belle, you didn't really think I was all about physical lust, did you? Oh no, there's alot more to it. You see, everyone desires something. Everyone has a lust in their heart. No matter how noble or how saintly a person may claim to be," he clasped his hands in prayer as if to emphasize, "they're always keeping something locked up in there. Try as they might to control it, deep inside, everyone wishes they could do what they want and have what they want. They're constantly fighting the urge to stop suppressing it, to set the desire free."

"Oh really?" I asked, genuinely surprised and curious.

"Indeed." Asmo moved in close, golden eyes meeting my own. "And I'm positive it's the same for you as well, _isn't it,_ Belle? So tell me, what is it you desire? What sort of secret, shameful thoughts are hidden inside that heart of yours? Why not let me reach inside and... unleash it?"

I placed my hand on his chest, pushing him away from me.

"Because I have something called self respect, Asmo. I'm not gonna fall for your lustful, bedroom eyes bullcrap. So keep it in your pants and let's keep moving."

"If you two are done," Solomon chimed in, "then perhaps you'd be interested to know that Mammon, Leviathan, and Beelzebub are all being chased by a giant snake right now."

That made both me and Asmo turned so fast we nearly gave ourselves whiplash.

"Wait, what?" we both let out.

That's when the sound of terrified screams, and ominous stomach growls, reached our ears. Mammon and Levi were charging down the hallway towards us, dragging Beel behind them. Trailing behind them was a massive blue-green snake with glowing golden eyes. My heart leapt into my throat at the sight of the massive serpent.

"Oh shit!" I exclaimed.

"What _is_ that thing?!" Asmo shouted.

"A giant snake," Solomon replied calmly. "Isn't it obvious?"

"Ugh..." Asmo shuddered in revulsion. "I hate having to look at unattractive things..."

" _ **That's**_ your big takeaway from this?!" I shrieked. "We need to do something about that snake, or we're all gonna be eaten!"

"Agreed," Solomon nodded. "It's time for us to get out of here."

"And where exactly where will we go?!" Levi demanded.

"Just shut up and follow me," Solomon insisted, taking off down one of the many identical corridors.

…

Solomon led us through the winding corridors of the labyrinth for who knows how long. After several twists and turns, he brought us all to a massive, metal door. He grabbed the handle and pulled it open, old hinges squeaking loudly.

"In here," he insisted.

We all ran inside and Solomon closed the door behind him, officially cutting us off from the massive serpent. I let out a sigh of relief, leaning against the wall as I looked around the room. To my surprise, we appeared to be in some sort of dungen area. Cells with wrought iron bars lined the entire left wall, but all of the cells were empty. Simple candles illuminated the area, adding to the ominous air to the place.

"Well," Asmo spoke up, adjusting his scarf and running his fingers through his hair, "we've managed to lose the snake."

"Yeah, but what're we s'posed to do now?" Mammon questioned, glaring at his brother. "We can't just hide out in the dungeons forever."

"You're the one who woke that snake up," Beel insisted. "You don't get to complain."

"You what?!" I snapped. "Mammon?! What were you thinking?!"

"It wasn't like that! I just saw a snakeskin lyin' on the ground and I figured I could sell it for a pretty nice sum!"

"The only problem is that the snake was still _wearing_ the skin!" Beelzebub groaned. "You grabbed its tail, woke it up, and pissed it off."

"Hey, that monster blew things out of proportion!" Mammon insisted. "That's not my fault!"

"He's not a monster!" Levi snapped. "He's Henry 1.0"

That made all of us pause. Slowly, we all turned to Levi in confusion.

"Come again?" I asked.

"Wait..." Mammon let out. " _That_ Henry?"

"Are you sure?" Beel questioned.

"I know Henry when I see him," Levi insisted. " _That_ is Henry, no doubt about it. I can't believe I'd find him down here of all places..."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," I begged, holding out my hands to try and get everyone to stop talking. "Can someone please explain? I thought Henry was a goldfish. How is this snake Henry, and just what am I missing?"

"Levi names all his pets Henry," Beel explained. "One of those pets was a snake."

"How many different Henry's have there been?" Asmo mused. "I think this is No. 4."

"You're wrong," Levi told him. "I'm currently keeping Henry 2.0. I kept Henry 1.0 in his glass case and took really good care of him. Then one day, he just disappeared. How many years has it been at this point I wonder..."

"What happened?" I asked.

"I don't know," Levi admitted. "He was in his case in my room that day, and the door and windows were all shut, yet he still managed to vanish without a trace. I looked all over for him. Later, when I moved rooms, I expected to find his bones. Every time I picked up something to move it, I was scared. But I never did find the remains of Henry 1.0." He seemed to sigh in relief, looking up at the ceiling with a smile on his face. "I just can't believe he's here, and alive. I never thought I'd see him again! Oh he's gotten so big!"

"Alright, _**enough**_!" Mammon snarled. "I don't care if he's your long lost pet or whatever! He tried to eat us, and now he's standing between us and our way out!"

"Leviathan," Solomon began, "if he used to be your pet, is it possible for you to pacify him?"

Lev shook his head, letting out a mournful sigh.

"Sorry Solomon. I've afraid he's forgotten all about me."

"That much is clear, given how he tried to eat you," Asmo quipped.

"We should attack it," Beel insisted, shockingly serious and with determination in his eyes. "We should take that thing down, then grill it up and eat it. I'm hungry."

"No!" Levi snapped, stamping his foot angrily. "I won;t let you hurt Henry 1.0! And he's NOT FOOD!"

"Okay then," Mammon told his younger brother, "then what _should_ we do? If we don't do something about that snake, we're never gonna get out of here."

"Well whatever we do, violence isn't the answer," I insisted. "The only reason Henry 1.0 is even attacking is because he was provoked. Besides, if he's down here in these tunnels, he's clearly here for a reason. I mean, for we know, Diavolo's using him to guard the dungeons."

"She makes a very good point," Solomon declared. "I'm almost certain that we can find a way out without resorting to violence."

"Thank you!" Levi cried out, throwing his hands in the air. "You two are the only ones making any sense right now!"

"Are you saying you have a plan?" I questioned.

"I do have one strategy we could try."

"Oh Solomon," Asmodeus gushed, grinning from ear to ear. "I knew you'd come up with something! Not only are you good-looking, you're _smart_ too."

Thank you, Asmodeus," Solomon nodded. "I'll be counting on you to make this work."

That seemed to take the wind out of Asmo's sails. He backed up, holding up his hands in shock.

"Huh? _Me?!_ "

"Ah, I see," Mammon spoke up, smirking maliciously. "While that snake is chewin on Asmo, the rest of us can make our escape!"

"Uh, no," Asmo shot down, crossing his arms and shaking his head. "That should be _your_ job, Mammon. As the stupidest one among us, it's only right."

"We're not feeding Mammon to Henry 1.0!" Levi insisted. "He'll get a tummy ache!"

"We're not feeding anyone to Henry 1.0!" I shouted. "Everyone, just shut up!"

Everyone did as I demanded, all eyes locked on me as I stood there, panting slightly. After a minute, I took a breath, ran my fingers through my hair, and turned to Solomon.

"Now, what exactly did you have in mind, Solomon?"

Solomon smirked a bit, as if amused by my outburst.

"My plan is to use Asmodeus to mesmerize the snake. His natural charm should be the perfect tool to tame Henry, and with luck, we can convince him to lead us out of the labyrinth and back to the main part of the palace."

I turned to Asmo. "Could that work?"

Asmo gave me a nod. "Indeed it could." He gave me an elegant hair flip before shooting me with a dazzling smile. "After all, I'm so stunningly beautiful that charming a snake will be quite simple. It's almost scary how attractive I can be."

Suddenly, something slammed hard into the door of the dungeon. An angry hissing could be heard just beyond it, something that made me shudder.

"Well it's time to put some of that charm of yours to work, because I think Henry finally found us!" I exclaimed.

"Henry 1.0!" Levi cheered.

The massive snake slammed against the door again.

"Oh man, oh man, oh man!" Mammon shuddered. "It's gonna break down the door!"

"Right then," Solomon nodded, rubbing his hands together as that pink and purple haze returned. "First things first, I'll amplify Asmodeus' magic, then we open the door. The process will take me a moment, so Mammon, Belle, please distract Henry for as long as you can."

Before either of us could protest, the door opened and we were both pushed out into Henry's path. Both Mammon and I were frozen, staring up at the large serpent as he hovered above us. A loud hiss ushered forth from his mouth as it looked down at us.

"Mammon..." I whimpered.

"Don't… make… a move..." Mammon whispered.

Behind us, I could hear Solomon talking to Asmo.

"Are you ready?" the sorcerer asked.

"Yep," Asmo replied. "Go right ahead."

"Whatever you're gonna do..." I hissed through my teeth. "Just do it already."

I glanced back towards the door, where I could see Solomon holding out a hand, aiming it at Asmo. his power began washing over the lustful demon as he began his spell.

" _Denizens of the darkness, awaken! You who are born of shadow, hear me! I am the one called Solomon. I call upon you now to lend your power to Asmodeus, Avatar of Lust!_ "

The power began washing over Asmo, who shivered slightly before grinning slightly.

"Ooh yes, I _like_ this! I'm _so_ turned on right now!"

"Asmo!" Both Mammon and I shouted.

Asmo sighed, then stepped in front of us, his entire body radiating the magical mist from Solomon's spell. Henry hissed and lowered his head to meet Asmo's eye. When he did, the mist seemed to coalesce in the snakes eyes, making them go somewhat out of focus. When this happened, Beel grabbed me and pulled me back so I was in the safety of the dungeon. Mammon just let out an undignified yelp as he dove back in as well, leaving Asmo to deal with the snake.

"That's right, Henry," he said soothingly, a layer of suggestion to his voice. "Look me in the eyes… that's a good boy."

"It's working..." Beel said softly, watching as Henry's body seemed to loosen.

"Henry 1.0..." Levi gushed.

"So Henry, won't you show us the way out?" Asmo asked, gently stroking Henry's snout. "We're sorry we disturbed your nap, but if you help us out, you can go right back to sleep."

Henry's head bobbed as if nodding, then he began slithering down the hallway. Everyone let out a collective sigh of relief as Solomon smiled at Asmo, gently patting him on the back.

"Well done, Asmodeus."

"You act as if you expected anything less," Asmo replied, the mist fading away as he tossed his hair and smiled.

Mammon just growled, glaring over at me and Beel. The gluttonous demon was still holding onto me around my waist, and I was clinging to his arm.

"Hey Beel!" he shouted. "What's the big idea saving Belle like that and not me! I'm your brother! I should be your top priority! And you!" He pointed right at me. "I told you that I'd be the one to rescue you!"

"Then why didn't you?" Beel countered, to which I snorted and covered my mouth.

"LOLOL!" Levi laughed. "He got you there, Mammon!"

Mammon just growled again, turning and stalking out of the dungeon. I laughed, then felt Beel's stomach growling against my back. I gave his hand a pat, and he gently deposited me onto the floor.

"C'mon," I insisted. "We should get out of here. It's almost dinner time."

"Dinner..." Beel drooled.

…

With the air of Henry 1.0, our motley group was _finally_ able to get out of the labyrinth. The rest of our retreat group was waiting for us when we made it to the dining hall. We all sat down and explained everything that had happened, from getting separated to using Asmo on Henry 1.0. Diavolo was highly amused by our tale.

"So that's what happened," he mused. "Well, I'm glad you were able to emerge from the underground labyrinth safely."

"It's just a shame it was over so quickly," Lucifer grumbled, crossing his arms and glaring at some of his brothers, and even at me for a brief moment. "If you lot had stayed lost for another 5000 years or so, the devildom would have been a lot more quiet and peaceful."

"Hey, ease up, Lucifer," I told him. "I mean, I can understand wanting to get rid of Mammon, but the rest of us would have been trapped forever. And lest we forget, Solomon and I are only here for the year, so us going missing would reflect _very_ poorly on Diavolo."

That seemed to catch Lucifer offguard, though it did get me a few glares from Mammon. I ignored him as Simeon and Luke approached Solomon with concern written on their faces.

"In any even, it really is awful that you got caught up in this mess, Solomon," Simeon remarked.

"Yeah, _awful,_ " Luke agreed with a nod before scoffing loudly. "When you associate with demons, bad things always happen, don't they? Truly bad things!"

Solomon just laughed, shaking his head.

"Actually, I ended up enjoying myself in a way," he admitted. "Sure it was a complete accident, but I did get to go inside the rumored underground labyrinth after all. Although, the presence of Leviathan's long-lost pet snake was quite the surprise, especially at such a gargantuan size."

Diavolo smiled.

"Oh yes, our oversized tunnel guardian. Well, you see-"

His explanation was drowned out by very loud eating to my left. I turned to see Beel stuffing his face with all the food Barbatos was serving. The demonic butler was smilingly proudly at Beel's gusto as he handed me my own plate.

"Here, Miss Belle," he said. "I hope you enjoy tonight's devildom feast. I wanted it to be extra special."

I smiled back at him, munching on some fried newt legs as Diavolo finished his inaudible explanation.

"You know," Asmo declared, twirling his fork in his hand, "now that I think about it, the whole reason we were able to escape was because of me and how stunningly beautiful I am!"

"As I recall," Satan chimed in, not looking up from his plate, "you were also the reason all of you ended up in the labyrinth to begin with."

"He's right!" Mammon declared, slamming a fist on the table. "That terrible, horrible experience was all _your fault_ , Asmo!"

"In all honesty," Diavolo spoke up, "fault hardly matters. The Demon King's castle holds a great many items that have suspicious histories. There may be many more paintings with those who would want to get even with any number of you."

Asmo sighed mournfully, leaning back in his chair like some sort of dramatic heroine.

"It's just wrong to be this beautiful."

I groaned, rolling my eyes before taking another bite of my newt. Mammon just shook his head before looking over at me.

"Forget it, Belle," he insisted. "He's hopeless. He doesn't even think he's done something wrong!"

"Pot. Kettle. Black." I deadpanned.

…

That night, Simeon, Asmo and I returned to our room. I was utterly exhausted after all the drama and was looking forward to just flopping onto my bed. Asmo immediately rushed into the bathroom, claiming it for himself as I groaned in annoyance. Simeon just laughed lightly as he began undoing the clasp of his cloak.

"Feel free to get changed, Belle," he told me, turning around. "I give you my word that I won't look."

"Thanks Simeon," I replied, reaching into my suitcase and pulling out my nightgown. "I suppose one thing I can guarantee during this trip is that Asmo will be too busy primping at night to try and sneak a peek."

"He is rather shameless, isn't he?"

"That's putting it mildly." I pulled my nightgown on and began loosely braiding my hair. "You can look now."

Simeon turned back around, revealing that he was now wearing a long, flowing nightshirt with golden accents on the collar and sleeves. He looked very much like a stereotypical angel in a choir outfit, only missing the wings and halo. He seemed to notice my look and laughed, walking over and sitting down next to me.

"May I?" he asked, gesturing to my hair.

I shrugged and released my braid as he picked up my hair brush to tend to my hair. Feeling his gentle fingers in my hair, as well as the soft tug of the brush made me let out a soft moan, relaxing for the first time that evening. I'm not sure if it was some sort of angelic magic, or just because this was the first time I'd been pampered like this, but I nearly fell asleep before Simeon even finished the braid. He got up and I laid down on the bed, seconds away from actually falling asleep… then the bathroom door was thrown open.

"Nighty-night you two!" Asmo squeed.

My soft moan turned into an annoyed groan as I rolled over to look at Asmo. He was wearing a long, silk robe with fur that was a lighter shade of pink lining the collar and edges. It was held closed by a simple tie, but the front was fully open, revealing his perfectly hairless chest. He undid the tie of his robe, and my face turned red as she shrugged it off, revealing he was wearing nothing beneath it.

"Nope!" I exclaimed, covering my eyes as my face turned red. "Nope! This is not happening! You are putting clothes on right now!"

"Aww," Asmo gushed, posing like a supermodel on his bed. "I thought you would enjoy a little show before-"

"Clothes!" I screamed. "Now!"

The lustful demon sighed dramatically before sauntering over to his suitcase.

"Oh very well. I prefer to sleep in the nude, but for you Belle, I'll-"

"Just-!" I bit my tongue, taking a breath before starting again. "Just… put some clothes on."

After a moment or so, Asmo was in a pair of hot pink, silk, booty shorts and a baby pink, spaghetti strap, v-neck tank top. He picked up his robe, sliding it back on, but not bothering to tie it.

"There," he declared, twirling slightly. "Is this better?"

"Marginally," I muttered into my pillow. "G'night Asmo..."

"Sweet dreams, Bella Boo."

My brain came to a screeching halt as I sat up on my bed, turning to Asmo. He was sprawling himself out on his bed, smiling dreamily to himself.

"'Bella boo'?" I repeated.

"Your new nickname?" "Don't like that one? How about Bella Bear?"

I groaned, flopping onto my stomach and covering my head with my pillow.

"Bella Bean?" Asmo continued trying. "Bella Bug? Izzy Bella? Bellina? Belsie?"

I groaned again, hearing Simeon laughing lightly as Asmo came up with more and more ridiculous nicknames. As I burrowed under my covers, I wondered if I would be able to get any sleep these next few days.


	14. The Second Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the Second Day of the Retreat, and it's even crazier than the first

As it turned out, I did manage to fall asleep, and sleep through the night rather peacefully. When morning came, Asmo had already laid claim to the bathroom, so I simply waited my turn. Simeon was dressed back in his usual robes, humming an ethereal song to himself as he made his bed. I listened to it until Asmo finally emerged from the bathroom, smiling at me.

"All yours, Bellisima," he declared, taking on an italian accent for his latest nickname for me.

I just sighed as I ventured into the bathroom. "At least it's not Bella Boo..."

…

After finally getting dressed in my favorite magenta tank top with a purple, layered skirt and flats, I followed Asmo and Simeon back out into the main hall. Once again, the others were waiting for us. Mammon looked absolutely exhausted, with huge bags under his eyes that his sunglasses just barely managed to hide. Luke was in a similar State, yawning and stretching as Levi approached us.

"About time you joined us," Levi said.

"Luke, why are you so tired?" Simeon asked. "I would have thought you'd got a full night's sleep."

"I tried…" Luke told him, yawning and stretching once more. "But then leave I introduced me to one of his shows and got me hooked. I don't think I'm going to be getting any sleep at all this weekend."

At that moment, Mammon flopped onto Beel's shoulder, prompting Beel to push him off.

"Stop trying to sleep on me. You're getting drool all over my sleeve."

"Now you know how the rest of us feel when you're hungry…" Mammon said with a yawn. "Besides, it's not my fault that I'm so tired... Blame Lucifer."

"What happened?" I asked in a deadpan voice, already having a pretty good idea of what the answer would be.

"I'm glad you asked, Belle," Satan declared, giving his second eldest brother a snarky grin. "You see, last night Mammon here decided that he was going to try and break into the vault of the Demon Lord's castle."

"Hey!" Mammon exclaimed, glaring at Satan. "You and Solomon were right there with me! You're just as guilty as I am, and yet I'm the only one that got a lecture!"

"I'm sure I don't know what you mean," Solomon told him with feigned ignorance. "Although, I do recall us trying to warn you about the curse on the vault, the one that would summon a horrifying demon monster to destroy anyone who attempts to steal the treasures."

"Oh yes…" Mammon grumbled. "But, as it turned out, there was no demon monster. Just Beel's stomach growling!"

"I was hungry," Beel defended. "I was looking for a snack and I got lost. It's not my fault you thought I was a monster."

Asmo laughed at the absurdity of the story we had been told, wrapping an arm around me.

"Aren't you glad you got me as a roommate instead of that scummy oaf of a demon?"

I just rolled my eyes as I dislodged myself from his arm.

"Sure. At least I could sleep through you."

That got me a chorus of snorts and snickers, especially from Mammon. He gave Asmo a wicked grin, pointing and laughing. Shockingly, either through willful ignorance or selective hearing, Asmo remained unperturbed.

"Oh Bella Rosa, my voice was so melodic and beautiful that it lulled you to sleep. Such a wonderful compliment."

I just released a long, drawn out breath as I shook my head and pinched the bridge of my nose.

"You are unbelievable, Asmo…*

"Thank you, Bellarina."

At that moment, Diavolo stepped forward, smiling warmly as he addressed us all, Barbatos at his side.

"Alright everyone, it's time to explain what we have planned for day two of our retreat. If you recall, today we are going to be having a scavenger hunt. We'll be divided into groups, who will then be given riddles to solve. Each riddle hints at one of the works of art or historical items here in the castle."

"Once you figure out the answer to your riddles, you must find the corresponding piece and take a picture of it," Barbatos added. "It is my personal hope that Little D. No. 2 was able to teach you everything you need to know during yesterday's tour. The information should come in handy when attempting to solve the riddles."

"Do we get to pick our groups?" Mammon questioned, coming over and grabbing my arm. "If so, I call being on Belle's team."

"Not so fast," Lucifer declared, grabbing Mammon and pulling him away from me. "It was already decided that we would be remaining with the people we're rooming with. Thus, your team is Solomon and Satan."

"Aww man..." Mammon whined.

…

Sometime into our scavenger hunt, things weren't exactly going well. It wasn't the riddles that were tripping us up, in fact, Simeon and I were solving them rather easily. Our biggest problem was actually our third teammate: Asmo. He spent more time scrolling on Devilgram and taking selfies then helping us with the riddles. By the time Satan's group caught up to us, we had spent the past twenty minutes just trying to get our first picture.

"Oh, hello there, Satan," Simeon greeted when he spotted Satan approaching us. "How're things going for your team? Well, I hope."

"Don't give me that," Satan sneered angrily. "Don't think I don't know what you're up to. You hatched a plot to keep us from winning, didn't you?"

"I'm sorry?" Simeon questioned. "What are you referring to?"

"He's referring to Asmodeus," I groaned, pointing at our wayward teammate. "It seems we're not the only team being he's keeping from progressing."

As if to prove my point, the three of us turned to see Mammon attempting to take a picture of a strange statue. Unfortunately, every time he lifted his D.D.D. to take the photo, Asmo got in the shot. He would strike various poses and just generally take over the entire picture.

"Hey!" Mammon exclaimed. "Down in front! We need a picture of that Goddess statue, so quit jumping in front of it!"

" _What?_ " Asmo let out, stretching out the vowel for a good three seconds. "Oh come _on_. Wouldn't you rather have a picture of _me_ than this simple statue? I'm the perfect edition to any photo, and your camera will thank you!"

Mammon rolled his eyes, groaning in anger as I snuck behind Asmo, trying to get a picture of the statue. However, as if sensing the camera through some sixth sense, Asmo moved in front of my shot just as I hit the shutter button.

"Ooh!" Asmo gushed as he slid over, glancing at my ruined photo. "That was a good shot. Personally though, I think I look best photographed from just above at a 45 degree angle. Although, I _always_ look good, naturally."

"Great," I declared, shoving my D.D.D. into his hand. "Why don't you go take all the selfies you want over there, and you can show me later."

Asmo grinned, then went back over to the statue, smiling as he readied the camera.

"Smile, my lovely Goddess," he gushed at the statue, gently caressing her face as he laid on the charm. "Your radiance will finally get a chance to shine next to the loveliness that is me."

To my complete and utter shock, the statue itself began to move. It reached out to hold Asmo, throwing up a peace sign while blowing a kiss, matching Asmo's face as he took the photo. By this point, Luke's group had joined us, and he was utterly floored by the sight of the statue.

"Oh no!" the young angel whined. "Asmodeus charmed the statue!"

"He can do that?!" I exclaimed.

"Unfortunately..." Satan groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose.

Beel said something in what I could only assume was agreement, but I couldn't understand a word he was saying because his mouth was full of donut. Levi was just on Devilgram once more, typing away.

"'Asmo charmed a Goddess Statue, and now she's so in love with Asmo that she won't return to her original pose'... and sent!"

"Asmo!" Mammon snapped. "Just what in the three realms do you think you're doing?!"

"I can't help it," Asmo insisted, placing a hand to his forehead and acting like a dramatic soap opera character. "It's not _my_ fault that I'm so charming and ridiculously good-looking. Also, and I recall, there were no rules about interfering with the other teams."

"And what about when you interfere with your own team?!" I shouted.

Asmo sighed, then turned on his heels and began stalking off down the hallway.

"Whoa, just where do you think you're going?" Satan demanded, reaching out to grab Asmo's arm.

"Where am I going?" Asmo repeated as he wrenched his arm free of Satan's grip, glaring at him. "Oh, I dunno, maybe somewhere where I don't have to listen to someone _lecturing_ me?"

With that, he vanished down the hall. I began rubbing my face, bemoaning my fate as Simeon placed a hand on my back.

"He really is quite a handful, isn't he?" he lamented. "What are we going to do?"

"For now, I'll go after him," I replied. "He does still have my D.D.D."

…

It was pretty easy to catch up to Asmodeus, who was still using my D.D.D. to take selfies of himself with various dramatic and sad poses. He must have caught sight of me in the camera because he turned to me just as I rounded the corner.

"Ah, Belle, I thought I sensed someone following me."

"Yeah, you have my D.D.D. still."

"Oh, right!" Asmo held it out for me, letting me take it. "I'm certain your phone's gallery will be much more pleasing to the eye now."

I didn't even bother looking at it and just stuck the D.D.D. in the pocket of my skirt. As I did, Asmo slid in closer, wrapping an arm around me.

"So, was that the _only_ reason you followed me? Or were you hoping for a little… _alone_ time?"

I sighed again, pushing my annoyance down before meeting Asmo's eye.

"Look, if we're going to win, let's do it fair and square. No more sabotaging other photos, and no more charming statues. And please, for the love of God, let us take photos with your photobombing them."

Asmo looked at me for a moment, then snorted, covering his mouth as he started laughing. He was laughing so hard that tears started forming in the corners of his eyes.

" _Fair and square?!_ " he cackled. "You know you're talking to a _demon_ , right? Fair and Square… oh, you are a funny one, Belladonna."

He laughed for a good minute longer, then eventually regained control of himself, wiping his eye and meeting my gaze. I remained unamused and just crossed my arms.

"So, you came to lecture me too, is that it?" he asked, a teasing smile on his face.

"I mean it, Asmo. What you did back there was rude, annoying, and a detriment to us all."

"Oh, was it now?" Asmo teased, sliding in closer. ""You don't think I should have done that? _Really?_ "

I looked him straight in the eyes, keeping my stance.

"Yes, I do. You should go back and apologize."

Asmodeus blinked, actually backing off for a second as he stared. The way he was looking me over, you would think I had sprouted a second head.

"Belle..." he let out after a moment. "Do you feel anything? Like… at all? A warmness in your chest, your stomach all a flutter, heat in your cheeks?"

"No..." I replied, more than a little confused.

"Really? Nothing at all?"

"Nothing at all." I paused, crossing my arms. "Why do you ask?"

"I was trying to charm you," he explained, looking genuinely shocked. "Like I did with Henry 1.0 back in the labyrinth, or like with the statue."

"Are you sure? Because I didn't feel anything."

"Oh, I'm positive." Asmo tapped his index finger to his lower lip as he began pacing lightly. "This makes no sense. You're just a human, and yet for some reason, my power seems to have no effect on you at all." He suddenly did an emotional 180 on me, turning and pointing an accusatory finger at me. "Even so, if you think you can control me, well you've got another thing coming!"

I stood there for a minute, then pinched his accusatory finger before lowering it.

"I'm not trying to control you, Asmo," I insisted. "The only way I could do that was if we formed a pact."

Now it was my turn to pour on the charm. I smiled at him, did my best flirtatious impression, and moved in closer.

"Interested, Asmo? Wanna make a pact with me?"

To my shock, Asmo busted out into laughter once more. He was almost doubled over with laughter, clutching his stomach as he cackled up a storm.

"Me? Make a _pact_ with _you_?!" He laughed for another minute before getting serious, meeting my eyes. "What? Did you think that because I had a pact with Solomon I'd be willing to make one with any human who came along? Not a chance, Belle. I don't make pacts easily."

"Oh come on, Asmo," I begged, knowing I _really_ needed a pact with him. "Isn't there any way I can convince you to make a pact with me? Please?"

To really sell my desperation, I put on the biggest puppy dog eyes I could muster. Silently grateful for actually putting on some mascara this morning, I began to bat my chocolate brown eyes at him, which seemed to make him actually consider my request.

"Hmm, well… if you really want to make a pact with me that badly, then what do you say to this? If you can manage to outwit Lucifer somehow, then I'll be willing to recognize you as someone worthy of me."

"Outwit him?" I questioned. "What do you mean by that?"

Asmo paused, mulling over my question.

"Hmm… that's a good question." He perked, snapping his fingers. "I got it. I want you to get a picture of Lucifer's face when he's asleep."

I hissed slightly, recalling one time that me, Beel, Satan, and Mammon tried to do just that. I remember running for my life when he woke up and caught us. Thankfully, only Mammon got caught, but it was still a bit close for comfort.

"I tried that once, and it failed miserably."

"Well then," Asmo beamed. "This sounds like the perfect task to me, and an excellent opportunity for revenge."

"So… to get a pact with you, I need to get a picture of Lucifer asleep."

"Eyup." Asmo gave me a pat on the cheek. "Good luck."

With that, he turned and walked off, leaving me just standing there by myself. I watched him go, then I took a breath before contemplating the monumental task ahead of him.

…

Dinner time eventually rolled around, and this time, it was Luke and Simeon's turn to cook dinner. While there were quite a few desert items courtesy of Luke, but there were actual dinner items as well. I wish I had the words to describe how good the food was, but the closest descriptor I have is heavenly.

"It's been so long since I've had food from the Celestial Realm," Levi gushed, mouth full of what I'm pretty sure was some sort of ambrosia. "This is so special that it almost feels wrong to eat it."

"The flavors are a lot different from what you'll find in the Devildom," Satan admitted, admiring a piece of some delicious white meat on his fork. "And the ingredients too. But, it's really good in its own way."

"More please," Beel requested happily, holding out his plate for the fifth time tonight.

"Save some for the rest of us, Beel," I told him. "Some of us haven't even finished our plates."

"It's alright, Belle," Solomon sighed, pushing his plate towards Beel. "He can have mine."

"Mine as well," Diavolo offered, holding out his plate. "If you want it, Beelzebub."

Beel happily took both plates, practically scraping the contents into his mouth. Lucifer shook his head at the mannerless sight, turning to Diavolo with an exasperated frown.

"I know you're trying to be nice, but if you keep giving him food like that, he'll never stop eating. He'd even eat your arm if you let him."

Diavolo didn't seem to listen to Lucifer's complaint, and I just laughed before turning to the two Angels.

"This really is good food, you two," I complimented.

"Oh yeah!" Mammon cheered in agreement, ruffling Luke's hair. "Simeon, you and Fido are wizards in the kitchen!"

Luke groaned, adjusting his beret again.

"How many times do I have to tell you before you get it through your thick, demonic skull?! My name's not _**FIDO!**_ "

Asmo giggled, covering his mouth with the tips of his fingers.

"You know, my brothers and I only tease you because you always get upset like that, right? Or are you doing it on purpose because you enjoy the attention?"

"Pot, Kettle, black," I told the lustful demon.

He just laughed good naturedly at my remark before going back to his food. As he did, I was reminded of my daunting quest. I glanced over at Lucifer, who turned to meet my gaze. I barely suppressed a yelp, quickly turning back to my food.

"Belle," he called out.

"Yes!" I said a little too quickly and loudly.

"No need to shout. I just wanted to see if you would pass me the dipping sauce."

"Oh, sure, sorry," I replied, passing him the requested sauce. "I guess this retreat just has me on edge."

"Shame," Lucifer lamented, shaking his head. "And it's only day two."

I nodded in agreement, wracking my brain for a moment. I knew that if I was going to get the pact with Asmo, I needed that photo. Unfortunately, I didn't know where Lucifer was sleeping here in the Demon Lord's Castle, which definitely made my job that much harder. Still, I couldn't just ask him, or he'd get suspicious, especially since our relationship was still on the rocks after the incident in the crypt.

"Maybe I just need some time to be able to enjoy the art and decorations of the palace without my..." I glanced over at Asmo, who was in the middle of yet _another_ selfie binge, "...boisterous roommates."

"Is that so?" Lucifer actually seemed to crack a genuine smile at my remark. "Well, I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one who appreciates the decorative pieces here at the castle."

"Then you'd know the best pieces to look at throughout the castle, and the ones that may have dangerous curses I should avoid."

"Indeed I do. I'll be more than happy to make you a list of everything worth seeing and where you can find it. You can go and see them at your own leisure."

My smile faltered as I realized my plan had failed. I slumped slightly, picking up my fork and twirling it on my plate.

"Thanks Lucifer..."

…

The rest of the meal went by relatively quickly, and soon, almost all of the food was gone. Most of it had been consumed by Beel, but the rest of us had been able to eat our fill, and despite my dismal failure to learn where Lucifer's room was, I was feeling pretty good. Once it was clear we were done eating, Diavolo rose to his feet, raising a glass and tapping his spoon on it. Idle conversation dwindled until he finally had our undivided attention.

"Gentlemen, Demons, Belle," he addressed, "the time has finally come."

"Aww..." Beel mumbled. "I'm still not done eating."

"I'd say you've had enough," Satan insisted.

"Yeah," Luke agreed. "Just watching you is giving me heartburn..."

"Ignore him, Diavolo," Lucifer insisted. "Go ahead."

Diavolo smiled, rubbing his hands together. Purple-pink light gathered in his hands as he summoned a great deal of magic. He then brought his hands to his mouth and blew, spreading the power everywhere. As it washed over the room, the table vanished, as did all the dirty dishes. Flowers and banners began to appear along the various walls, soft music began playing, and there were suddenly dozens of demons in the room. All of them were in what I could only assume were their natural demon forms, tails, horns, and wings on full display.

As I continued looking around, I noticed that the others had also taken on different forms as well, reverting to their demonic sides. I had already seen what Lucifer, Levi, and Beel looked like as demons, and now I got a chance to see the others, including Diavolo and Barbatos.

Diavolo's outfit was by far the most shocking, but befitting of his status as the current ruler of the Devildom. His horns were a blood red and black gradient, the tips gilded with gold, and they parted out horizontally before curling inward. He also had four bat-like wings of the same coloring as his horns, complete with identical gilded tips. He was mostly topless, wearing a large gold pendant of multiple bat wings with a red jewel in the center that connected to a black and gold embellished choker, two gold chains on each side, and a black-furred shawl over his shoulders. On his arms were six rows of golden triangle pattern tattoos, and there were black vertical tattoos on his torso. He wore a pair of black harem-like pants with two gold chains, a red jewel pendant on each side, and a white cloth with gold patterns in the front.

Ever by his side, Barbatos was the next demon I saw. To my shock, even in his demon form, he still looked like a butler. He wore a formal jacket with drapery and a tailcoat of a teal color. As per usual, he wore white gloves. His pants were two toned, with the front part being a light gray, and the back part being a dark gray, identical to the color of the jacket. He has a splitted tail with a gradient from black to teal and two skeletal wing-like horns.

Mammon was the next demon I spotted. He had two thin, slightly twirled horns, and a pair of big, bat-like wings. He wore a studded, high-collared, cropped motorcycle jacket with two belts wrapped across his exposed torso, showing off his white, arrow tattoos that pointed down at his navel. His sleeves were covered with white diamonds, a design matched on left side of the black pants he wore. To finish the overall attire, he wore mid-length, black leather boots with three studs on each boot.

Satan was the next to catch my eye, his polished black, scaly S-shaped horns glinting in the light. He possessed a matching tail which faded into light green as it wrapped around his right leg. He neatly wore a dark grey dress shirt with hidden buttons, white collars, and cuffs, as well as black pants with widely-scattered white dots. Above his shirt was a black ribbon that was elaborately woven into modest loops on and across his chest, revealing much of its green underside. The entire completed ribbon almost looked like a rib cage. He completed the look with a black boa over his shoulders and fancy white embellished belt.

Finally, Asmo made his debut. His demon form consisted of a black, sleeveless, button-down shirt with black roses decorating the front and a golden scorpion wrapped around it. I even spotted a heart-shaped hole on the back as he gave a twirl, and he had two black cuffs at his wrists. His pants were black, with one side consisting only of black garter belts. He had four bat-like wings and a pair of horns with pink-tinted tips jutting out from his head. Finally, he had three heart-shaped tattoos on his left arm.

"Whoa..." I let out. "You all look amazing."

"We could say the same about you, Belle," Solomon told me.

I blinked in confusion, then finally looked down at myself. Without noticing, my attire had been changed as well. I was now wearing a floor length dress with a beaded heart neckline. The dress itself was a deep blue color, with a gradient that became almost a sky blue. It had a single strap along the right shoulder, and I could feel a pair of comfortable flats on my feet. My hair had been magically done up in a side bun, and I could feel some make-up on my face.

"Magic can be quite an amazing force, can't it?" Solomon remarked.

"Took the words right out of my mouth," I replied.

"Wow Belle," Luke gushed, his eyes sparkling as he looked me over. "You look like a princess."

"Thanks Luke. I think Diavolo somehow managed to recreate my Prom dress."

"Now that we're all ready, let us all enjoy the dance!" Diavolo declared, eliciting a round of applause from the summoned guests. "Dance, laugh, and be merry."

When the applause died down, many of the guests filtered over to the dance floor, beginning to sway to the music. A couple, Levi among them, went to a snack table that had materialized. I went to join them, then Mammon approached me. His face was a bit red and his wings were close to his body, as if he were embarrassed.

"...yo, Belle. Um, like… y'know… Uh, I mean, like… uh..."

I stood there and smiled, watching as he tripped over his own tongue. After a minute, he just looked away, reverting to his tsundere ways.

"L-like, you gotta have weird tastes to ask a human like you to dance. I'm guessin' no one here's gonna do that, huh?" He let out a nervous laugh, then turned red again. "...so, y'know, as long as you don't have a partner, I guess I could maybe go ahead and pair up with you for a li'l bit."

"Mammon," Satan laughed, swirling a small glass of what I assume was champagne in his hand. "Why not just admit that you want to dance with Belle?"

"You're such a loser!" Levi insisted. "And a total _tsundere!_ People are sick of characters like that! Didn't you get the memo? Those characters are so yesterday! LMAO!"

Mammon growled, wings flaring as he turned to his brother.

"Get outta here! Both of you! Go on! Scram!"

As he chased off his two brothers, I felt a hand come down on my shoulder. I turned, shocked to see Lucifer looking down at me. His smile seemed to have a hard edge to it as he held out a hand for me.

"Belle, come dance with me. Now."

Mammon looked back, ready to protest before seeing who had claimed my first dance. He then gulped and backed off.

"See?" Satan told him. "You should've just come out and asked Belle to dance."

Satan and Levi continued to taunt Mammon as Lucifer led me out onto the dancefloor. A slow song was beginning to play, so he pulled me in close. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't intimidated by just how close we suddenly were.

"Do you know how to dance?" he asked me.

"Not even a little," I answered honestly.

"Not a problem."

He adjusted his grip on me, pulling me even closer and even lifting me up so my feet were on top of his. Given how strong he was, I was positive that this was more to keep up a more fluid dance rather than prevent me from stepping on his toes. We moved gracefully out onto the center of the dancefloor, where I was little more than a doll in his arms.

"In general, there are all sorts of reasons why one might ask someone else to dance," he began, whispering in my ear so only I could hear him. "For example, they might be interested in them, they might want to touch them, or they might simply be doing it out of politeness."

"I get the feeling that there's a fourth option with you," I whispered back, feeling my heart racing slightly.

"There is. One might want to have a _private conversation_." His face grew serious as he leaned in close. "What is it you're plotting with Asmo?"

I went pale, choking on my own tongue. His grip on me tightened to the point that he was crushing my hand, and I was certain that he was leaving bruises on my side where his hand was.

"Let me make one thing clear: I respect my brothers' freedom to do as they wish. However, if I ever sense that you've become a _threat_ to either Diavolo or us..." his gaze bore into me and his wings fluttered menacingly, "then I will show you absolutely no mercy, understand?"

"I'm not-" I grunted a bit, feeling the pain of his unyielding grip as I tried to free myself. "I'm not trying to be a threat to anyone. I just want us all to get along and… and be friends."

"That's _not_ what I want," Lucifer snarled.

Just as I was beginning to fear he would kill me right there on the dancefloor, or at the very least break my arm again, Solomon approached us.

"Pardon me," he interjected. "It seems like a new song has started. I'd love the chance to dance with Belle. Might I cut in?"

Lucifer glared at him for a moment, then mercifully let me go. I stepped back, flexing my hand as I rubbed my side.

"Fine," he allowed. "I got the feeling you've gotten my message, right Belle?"

"Yeah..." I let out. "Clear as crystal..."

He walked off at that and Solomon took my arm. We began just swaying, his grip loose and gentle, and his smile genuine. Once I was certain Lucifer was out of earshot, I let out a sigh of relief.

"Thanks Solomon. I'm pretty sure I was about to either lose a limb or die."

"I assumed as much. You were quite pale, and in obvious distress. Even so, think nothing of it. This is the Devildom after all, and as humans, we're rather low on the food chain, especially you. Sure you've managed to secure pacts with demons, but you lack the power to command them."

"I'm not sure about that. I mean, I've managed to boss Mammon around quite a bit, and I even got Levi to hand over a prized record."

"You misunderstand. There's a difference between commanding a demon, and commanding their power."

"Really? How do you do it?"

"Hmm, good question. Well, you see, everyone has some amount of magical power by nature. However, there are some people in which it actually manifests itself, and others where it does not. And even among those in which it does, some have more of it than others. It varies based on the individual. Seeing how it doesn't even manifest itself in you to begin with, even though you've made pacts with demons, you can't take command of their powers."

"Oh..."

I looked down, sighing forlornly. I began to wonder if the plan to make pacts with everyone was actually feasible, then Solomon hit me with a shocking suggestion.

"Would you like me to lend you my power?"

"Wait." My head shot up and I looked surprised. "What? Why?"

"Let's just say I'm curious to know what would happen if I did. You're a destabilizing element here in this world. I can't say what might happen if I do this, which is exactly what makes it interesting."

As we parted from our dance, Solomon took my hand in his and kissed the back. Magic swirled around my hand and I felt my entire body buzz with an unfamiliar power. As he removed his lips, I found that there was a golden diamond with a six pointed star resting on the back of my palm.

"There, I've put a spell on you," he declared. "As of this moment, you have use of my powers for the next six hours. You should experience what it's like to control a demon and use his powers." He put on a playful, almost mischievous smile. "We _are_ on a retreat after all. Why waste this opportunity? So go, show me what you can do. I'm counting on you to deliver."

He slipped off into the crowd, leaving me with my temporary power, and a lot to think about.


	15. The First Time I Use Magic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Belle uses magic for the first time. It is SUPER Effective.

That night after the ball, everyone retreated to their rooms. Solomon went to bed almost immediately, the dance and cooking dinner for everyone having wiped him out. Asmo had once again laid claim to the bathroom, much to my chagrin, so I was left sitting on my bed as I waited for a hot shower. I managed to get out of my dress, slipping on some comfortable sweats as I worked my hair out of its side bun. As I did that, I caught sight of the diamond still on my hand. I looked at it, running my fingers over it before taking a deep breath and grabbing my D.D.D. I opened the messenger app and group messaged all the brothers I had under a pact.

**Tinker Belle: Mammon, Levi, Beel, you up?**

After a minute, I got replies from them all.

**Mammoney: Yeah, I’m up. Haven’t even gotten a chance to go to bed yet.**

**L3V1: Sleep is for normies!**

**Beelzeburger: Yup**

**Tinker Belle: Good. Listen, Operation: Photograph Lucifer Sleeping is back on. I need that photo to get a pact with Asmo.**

As expected, Mammon was the first to complain.

**Mammoney: Seriously? Why would Asmo want that? No way. It’s impossible.**

**L3V1: Well, there goes that plan! That was quick. Lolol**

**Beelzeburger: I mean, we couldn’t do it last time.**

**Tinker Belle: I know, I know. But if we’re going to get Belphie and Lucifer to make nice, I need pacts from everyone, and this was Asmo’s condition.**

**Mammoney: Man, I don’t believe Asmo. He knows it’s impossible, but he still tells you to do it anyway. What an ass.**

I groaned, flopping onto my bed.

**Tinker Belle: Mammon, you’re the only one who knows where Lucifer’s room is. We need you on this.**

**L3V1: I wouldn’t mind going, personally.**

That actually surprised me. I sat up and actually waited a moment to see if it was a typo. When he didn’t correct it, I was stunned.

**Tinker Belle: Seriously? You’ll help?**

**L3V1: Sure. I mean, a picture of Lucifer’s face while he’s asleep? That’d totally blow up on social media. Plus, you didn’t invite me along last time, so this time I’m going.**

**Tinker Belle: Sweet. Thanks Levi.**

One down, two to go.

**Tinker Belle: What about you, Beel? You in?**

**Beelzeburger: No thanks.**

I gritted my teeth, trying to figure out a suitable bribe. Thankfully, Levi was way ahead of me.

**L3V1: Would a Hellfire-Baked Cheesecake from Madame Devian change your mind? Because if you come along, I’ll give you one.**

The reply was almost instantaneous.

**Beelzeburger: I’ll be there.**

I did a silent fist pump.

**Tinker Belle: Nice one, Levi! Alright then, so it’s me, you, and Beel. We’ll meet up by the charmed Goddess Statue.**

I smirked, then held up three fingers… then two… then one… and another message popped up.

**Mammoney: Wait! Who said I wasn’t going, huh?**

**Beelzeburger: You did. Just now.**

**Tinker Belle: So you’ll come?**

**Mammoney: Yeah, yeah, I’ll come. You three would be lost without me!**

And I got them all.

**Tinker Belle: Great. Goddess Statue. Five minutes.**

With that, I stuffed my D.D.D. into my pocket. Sliding on my slippers and putting my hair in a ponytail, I made my way out into the hall.

…

We all met up in front of the charmed statue. As expected, all of us were in our pajamas. Hopefully, that made it easier for us to sneak around, given we were all in either slippers or sock feet.

“Alright,” I began. “This time, we absolutely cannot fail. I _need_ that photo.”

“You can count on us, Belle,” Levi swore.

“Where’s my cheesecake?” Beel questioned, already drooling. “I’m hungry.”

“You’ll get it after we get the photo,” Levi promised. “Now stop drooling on me, got it?”

“Okay Mammon,” I declared, getting everyone’s attention. “Take us to Lucifer’s room.”

“Right, it should be right at the end of this hall.” He began walking, and all of us followed after him. “This way, and keep quiet. We do _not_ want to get caught again.”

Levi pulled out his D.D.D. and I quickly put my hand over it.

“Absolutely no posting anything, Levi. We do not want to risk Lucifer catching on.”

“Right...” He put the D.D.D. away. “Sorry.”

“I just hope he’s actually asleep,” Beel remarked.

“After the dance, and the disaster of a scavenger hunt, I’d say so,” Mammon declared. “Now shut up. We’re here.”

We all fell silent as we gathered in front of the large wooden door that led to Lucifer’s room. Mammon carefully opened it, and one by one we slipped inside. The room was completely pitch black, and we couldn’t see a single thing. We couldn’t risk lights because that could wake Lucifer, so we stuck close to one another.

“I can’t see a thing...” Mammon whispered.

“We need to let our eyes adjust,” Beel quietly pointed out. “Then we’ll be able to see perfectly.”

As he said that, a growl reached our ears. I turned to Beel, keeping my voice low.

“Beel, I know you were looking forward to that cheesecake, but try and control your stomach. It sounds like a monster.”

“Belle… that wasn’t me.”

That made us both freeze. The growl sounded again, and this time it was followed by a disgusted sound from Levi.

“Beel, I thought I told you to stop drooling on me!” he angry whispered.

“Levi, Beel’s over here by me,” I pointed out. “He couldn’t have drooled on you.”

“If it wasn’t Beel, then who’s drooling on me?”

The growl sounded one more time, and I felt a warm wind hit my back. I jolted, and so did Mammon.

“You felt that, right Belle?” he asked nervously. “That warm… wet air… like something was… breathing on us?”

I just whimpered and nodded. The growling was much louder this time, and was coming from right behind us. Ever so slowly, we all turned around, coming face to face with the source of all our discomfort. It was a massive black dog, one that completely towered over all four of us. It had three heads, eyes like glowing embers, and was breathing literal fire. It roared at all of us, fire billowing from its three mouths as all of us were forced to hit the deck.

“CERBERUS!!” Mammon shrieked

“HE’S REAL TOO?!” I exclaimed.

“NOT THE TIME!” Beel insisted, grabbing me and throwing me over his shoulder before scooping Levi under his other arm. “RUN!!”

“HEY!” Mammon shouted. “WHAT ABOUT ME?!”

We rushed back to the door, but when Mammon tried to open it, it wouldn’t budge.

“No, No, NO!!” he screamed. “It’s locked!!”

“We’re gonna die!!” Levi cried.

“Find another door!” Beel insisted. “Hurry!”

“I found one!” Mammon declared. “C’mon! We’re getting out of here!”

We couldn’t see anything, but suddenly, Mammon grabbed the front of Beel’s shirt and pulled him forward. The greedy demon then ripped open a door, blinding us with bright, white light. We stepped through, only to find there was no floor. We all screamed as we dropped, disappearing into the light as Cerberus growled and snapped through the opening.

...

After a good minute of just falling into nothingness, we finally hit the ground. Beel ended up taking the brunt of the fall for me and Levi, though we both still felt the aftershock. Mammon ended up face planting right next to us, groaning upon impact.

“Ow...” Levi groaned.

“Oh, you’re in pain?” Mammon winced. “You’re not the one who ended up eating concrete...”

“Beel,” I let out, rolling off of the gluttonous demon before grunting in pain. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine...” he replied, sitting up and popping his back. “We’ve had worse falls...”

“Where are we?” Mammon questioned. “My head’s still trying to catch up with my body.”

I looked around, and my face fell when I saw the familiar dark brick of the underground labyrinth. I rubbed my eyes, blinking a bit to make sure I was actually seeing what was before me. When my surroundings didn’t change, I groaned again.

“We’re back in the Labyrinth… again...”

Mammon lifted his head, looked around, then dropped right back onto the Mammon-shaped dent in the ground.

“Of course we are...”

“Hang on a sec,” I spoke up. “If we’re down here again, and we just made a butt-ton of noise...”

That’s when a hissing noise reached our ears, followed by the sound of something heavy sliding along the ground. Mammon finally got up, as did the rest of us as we gathered into a small huddle.

“Levi...” Mammon said nervously. “Please tell me you slipped into your demon form and that’s your tail dragging on the ground.”

“No, I’m not in demon form,” Levi replied. “And even if I was, my tail’s not _that_ heavy.”

“Then it can only be one thing...” Beel rationalized. “Henry 1.0.”

As if on cue, the massive snake burst out of one of the hallways, round eyes locking onto us. We all screamed in fear, Beel grabbing me and Levi again as we all took off away from the snake. Immediately, Henry 1.0 gave chase, hissing angrily and showing off his massive fangs.

“Not again!!” Mammon cried out. “Why does this keep happening to me?!”

“I thought Asmo charmed Henry 1.0!” I exclaimed. “Why is he coming after us?!”

“Charms don’t last that long, Belle!” Levi explained. “It wore off a while ago!”

“That thing used to be your pet, right Levi?!” Beel recalled. “Do something!”

“Even if I wasn’t being carried around like a piece of luggage, I couldn’t! He won’t listen to me anymore, remember! I don’t think he even remembers being my pet!”

“Then grilled snake it is!” Beel decided.

“NO!” Levi and I both snapped.

“Well if either of you have a better idea, now’s the time to speak up!!” Mammon shrieked.

I was about to yell a retort, but that’s when I spotted the diamond on my hand again. I looked at it, then remembered that I still had access to Solomon’s power. An idea came to me and I quickly wriggled out of Beel’s grip. Once I was on the ground, I got up and faced Henry 1.0, much to the horror of the brothers.

“BELLE!!” they all screamed.

Henry 1.0 was coming in fast, but I stood my ground and placed two fingers on the diamond like I’d seen Solomon do. I took a deep breath, and began to recite the spell.

“ _Here me, denizens of the darkness, you who are born of shadow and you who give birth to it. Hear me and do as I command!_ ”

As I said this, I was suddenly engulfed in a blaze of cyan light. It covered me completely, illuminating the dark tunnels. Henry 1.0 actually stopped, blinded by the light. I continued with the spell, feeling like my whole body was pulsating with power.

“ _I call upon you to send forth one of your number! I summon the Avatar of Lust, Asmodeus!_ ”

There was a loud boom, then a crack of light. All of a sudden, Asmo was standing before me, a sleep mask on his face and his silken pajamas slightly rumbled. He yawned as he removed the mask, blinking and rubbing his eyes.

“Solomon, what could you possibly need at this hour? You know that lack of sleep is bad for my skin, right?” He seemed to finally wake up enough to realize where he was, and was instantly on high alert. “Wha- huh? No way! How could I be here?!”

“Belle just summoned you...” Beel let out, still staring at me and the light show I was giving off.

“We can discuss that later!” Levi insisted. “Just hurry and do something! Henry 1.0 won’t be stunned for very long!”

Indeed, Henry 1.0 was already shaking off the effects of the light. I was beginning to breath heavily, but I kept my ground and continued on.

“ _Denizens of the darkness, awaken! You who are born of shadow, hear me! I call upon you now to lend your power to Asmodeus, Avatar of Lust!_ ”

The power I was giving off began swirling around a stunned Asmo. He shuddered hard as he was suddenly forced into his demon form from the sheer power he was forced to take on. He blinked as he looked down at himself, and at the light radiating off of him.

“I don’t believe it...” he gasped, laughing in stunned surprise. “What is even going _on_ right now? All this power… not even Solomon has ever been able to draw this much out of me.” He smiled, then turned to Henry 1.0. “You can totally tell too, can’t you, Henry?”

The angry snake’s demeanor had taken a complete turn, his head lowering and his fangs retracting. He leaned against Asmo, and almost seemed to be purring. I let out a sigh of relief, leaning against the wall.

“Oh it worked… thank God...”

“Hang on...” Mammon spoke up, approaching me. “Belle, I thought you hadn’t made a pact with Asmo yet. Let me see your bracelet!”

He grabbed my arm and checked the charms on my pact bracelet, seeing only the ones for himself, Levi, and Beel. He was about to drop my arm, then he saw the diamond on my palm.

“This is Solomon’s mark...” he realized. “Just what happened?”

“Solomon lent me… his power...” I was beginning to feel really tired. “I’m just glad… I remembered the spell.”

“Lent power or no, there is no way you should have been able to summon Asmo without a pact, much less draw out his power like that!”

“And not only that, but it seems you ended up using some of your own personal magic as well,” Asmo spoke up, smiling as he rubbing Henry 1.0’s head. “And from that lightshow, it’s clear you possess way more power than Solomon does. Just what are you, darling?”

“I… I’m not...”

I was beginning to falture, and Beel quickly caught me. He pulled me onto his back as the last of my lightshow died down.

“We can talk about this after we get back to the castle,” he insisted. “Belle needs sleep, and I want that Madame Devian’s Hellfire-baked Cheesecake that Levi owes me.”

“Right,” Mammon nodded, his eyes never leaving me. “Let’s get out of here.”

…

Upon emerging from the Labyrinth for the second time since the retreat started, we were all met with the sight of everyone else waiting for us, each of them in their pajamas. Luke’s night outfit was identical to Simeon’s, though he was still wearing his beret for some reason. Solomon was wearing what looked like a loose robe made out of a starry fabric, and he was smiling at the sight of all of us. Diavolo wore pajamas almost identical to Lucifers, but his were red with golden accents, and he had a pair of matching slippers. Barbatos was wearing what looked like a vintage nightshirt from the 1800s, complete with a nightcap. Finally rounding out the group was Satan, who was wearing a light green t-shirt with dark green, flannel pants.

The second Lucifer saw us, he immediately demanded an explanation on what happened. I was still quite out of it, just leaning on Beel’s back as the brothers explained the entire ordeal. They told him about our operation, which earned me a cold glare from the eldest brother, our encounter with Cerberus, and with Henry 1.0. When Asmo mentioned being summoned by me and the spell I cast, Diavolo looked surprised, Solomon looked pleased, and Lucifer was just pissed.

“It seems that no matter where you go, you _always_ manage to stir up trouble,” he snarled.

“Sorry Lucifer...” I muttered apologetically.

“I just wanted cheesecake,” Beel remarked.

“Just so we’re clear, all of this was Belle’s idea!” Mammon insisted. “I tried to stop them, but they were all ‘this’ll blow up on social media’ and ‘I gotta have my cheesecake’. I didn’t even want to be part of this, but they-!”

“ **_Mammon!_ **” Lucifer roared.

Mammon let out a terrified yelp as Satan just shook his head in disappointment.

“Honestly, you failed the first time, and yet you _had_ to try again. You guys never learn...”

“No choice...” I groaned. “Needed photo… for Asmo.”

“Besides, how were we supposed to know that Cerberus was in there?” Beel argued.

“R-right!” Mammon nodded. “Yeah! I thought that was supposed to be Lucifer and Diavolo’s room!”

“I had a curse put on the door,” Lucifer explained. “Anyone who opened it without knocking first would be transported straight to Cerberus’ room.”

“Really?” Luke questioned, turning to Lucifer with a confused expression of his face. “Why would you curse your own room?”

Lucifer locked eyes with Mammon, eyebrows furrowing as he spoke.

“To prevent a _certain someone_ from breaking in and stealing any of the castle’s decorative pieces to sell for profit.”

That piece of information sank in, and the rage felt by both Beel and Levi could be felt radiating off of them. I too felt some anger seeping through my fatigue, enough for me to glare at Mammon along with Beel and Levi.

“So it’s your fault it happened...” I growled. “Why am I not surprised?”

“Mammon...” Beel snarled.

“Drop dead, Mammon,” Levi demanded. “Like, right now.”

“Hey!” Mammon protested. “This wasn’t my plan! I tried to warn you all! I did!”

“Fault hardly matters,” Lucifer insisted. “However, I’m more concerned with Isabella’s very clear signs of mana drain, and the fact that a certain someone very kindly lent his powers to an untrained novice.” He turned to Solomon, glaring daggers at the sorcerer. “Isn’t that right, Solomon?”

Solomon was completely unphased by Lucifer’s gaze, just looking at me and grinning from ear.

“Hm?” he let out, not even physically acknowledging the eldest brother. “You mean there’s actually someone out there in the Devildom who’s _that_ kind? Well, it’s the first I’ve heard of this.”

Lucifer made a disapproving noise, crossing his arms.

“Isabella does not have the same training in the magical arts that you do, and doing such a powerful set of spells right off the bat could have killed her. Just what exactly were you hoping to prove with this stunt?”

“I will admit, this was not what I was expecting in the slightest. Then again, I thought she was a magic-less human that would just use my borrowed power once and it would be over. I never imagined she’d actually unlock her own potential. In truth, what she’s feeling now isn’t mana drain, but her body working overtime to adjust to her new, magical energies. With some rest and a proper meal, she’ll be fine.”

All this time, Asmo, who had reverted back to his pajamas, had been seemingly pondering something. He kept looking at me, eyes sparkling as he did. After a brief moment, he gave a nod, then straightened up.

“I’ve made up my mind,” he declared out of the blue. “I’ll make a pact with Belle.”

There was a good five seconds of just stunned silence, then all heads turned towards Asmo. He was beaming from ear to ear, walking over to me and carefully pulling me off of Beel’s back. Once I was off his back, Asmo set me down on the ground, kneeling next to me and keeping me upright. The others were stunned beyond words, and Lucifer looked like he wanted to kill someone, most likely me.

“A pact?” I questioned. “But… I failed your test.”

“You did, yes, but I mean, even if Solomon did lend his powers, it shouldn’t have been possible for someone to draw that kind of power out of me. You’re a special one, Belle, and I was super impressed with how calm and collected you were against Henry. Absolutely amazing!”

“Thanks...” I let out, still surprised. “Are you sure about this though?”

“Oh absolutely. I’ve already made up my mind, and I absolutely must make a pact with you.” Asmo looked up at Lucifer, his smile never falturing. “I’m allowed to do that, right Lucifer?”

Lucifer remained silent, pointedly turning away from both of us. Asmo took that as an affirmative before taking my hand in his. He remained on his knees, holding my hand as if I was a highborn lady before resting his forehead against the back.

"I am Asmodeus, Avatar of Lust. I pledge myself to you, Isabella Collins, that we may be bound by an unbreakable pact. This I swear to you on both my name and the very blood that runs through my veins."

Power swirled around my hand and his, the light a brilliant pink color. It coalesced around his right wrist, as well as on my pact bracelet. When the light died, Asmo bore a metallic pink bangle that he began admiring happily. I glanced down at my bracelet, seeing a metallic pink charm that was identical to the mark Solomon had for Asmo.

“Oh look at this gorgeous pact symbol,” Asmo gushed, showing off his bracelet like a newlywed would her engagement ring. “I have so many outfits that will work well with this pretty little thing. It’s the perfect accessory.”

“Well, I suppose congratulations are in order,” Diavolo declared with a smile. “You’ve managed to make a total of four contracts.” He let out a large yawn, still smiling as he came out of it. “But for now, I say we all return to bed. Tomorrow is the final day of the retreat, and I want us all to enjoy it without falling asleep.”

“Yes,” Lucifer said rather quickly and tersely. “Everyone back to your rooms.”

Asmo's smile grew wider as he bent down and picked me up bridal style.

“Come along, Belle,” he told me as he carried me off. “It’s off to bed for us.”

Too exhausted to protest or even care, I allowed myself to be carried out of the main hall towards our shared bedroom.


	16. The Pillow War

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After sealing her pact with Asmo, Belle gets caught in the middle of an all-out war... a pillow war!

Asmo sat with me on my bed, having me lean on him as he gently ran his fingers along my arms. He would occasionally make comments on the smoothness of my skin, or various images and patterns he found in my freckles. I let him, since he was not attempting to get under my nightgown, and the attention was rather nice. At the moment, he had my hand in his, the diamond long since faded away. As he gently massaged it, he examined my fingers curiously.

“Interesting,” he remarked. “Belle, did you know your ring finger is longer than your index finger?”

“Never though about it, honestly,” I told him.

“Hmm,” he hummed slightly as gently lifted my thumb, running his own digit over the nail. “Oh, I love the shape of the nail on your thumb. So cute.” 

I was nodding off at this point, Asmo’s body surprisingly comfortable and warm, so I mostly just nodded. He released my hand, then gently traced his fingers along my face.

“I think your left ear is slightly lower than your right one. Interesting. And these marks, did you pierce your ears once? Maybe we can get them re-pierced. I have some earrings I’m certain would look utterly darling on you.”

Simeon looked over at us from his bed, smiling slightly.

“It seems you’ve grown quite fond of Belle,” he remarked.

“Of course I have,” Asmo replied, running his fingers through my hair and eliciting a soft moan from me. “Otherwise, I would never have agreed to the pact.”

“Very true,” Simeon nodded before giving me a once over. “Still, who would’ve guessed that Belle had such powerful magic hidden within herself.”

“News to me...” I said softly, eyes fluttering closed. 

“Well, wherever it’s been hiding in you, I intend to find out,” Asmo declared as his dexterous finger began gently rubbing my scalp and the back of my neck. “We’ll unlock the secret of your magic, Belle. We’ll take it nice and slow, and I promise you’ll enjoy every minute of it.”

“Snuggling and gentle touches, yes,” I mumbled sleepily. “Getting frisky, no.”

“Of course not,” Asmo promised. “You’re the type of girl who enjoys being pampered and cuddled. I can tell from how much you’re just melting in my arms.”

“Yeah… I’m an Ace here.”

“I can work with that,” Asmo told me, continuing his gentle massage.

“ _ Oh no you don’t! _ ”

I groaned, opening my eyes to see Mammon standing in the doorway of the room. His eyes were blazing with anger and jealousy at the sight of me and Asmo snuggled in my bed.

“Asmo! What are you doing in Belle’s bed?! And why are you holding her like some damned  _ stuffed animal?! _ ” He came over and tried to forcefully separate us, but Asmo held on tight. “You’re too close! Get away right now! Far enough away that I can’t see you!  **_GO!_ ** ”

“Belle and I are actually enjoying ourselves,” Asmo told him matter of factly, leaning towards me and gently rubbing his cheek against mine. “At least until you so rudely interrupted us.”

“I said  **_get away from Belle you narcissistic PERVERT!!_ ** ”

I groaned again, grabbing my blankets in an attempt to bury my face in them and drown out Mammon’s shouting. I apparently wasn’t the only one drawn in by the noise, because Satan and Levi came walking in, the former looking annoyed and cranky.

“Wow it’s loud in here,” he remarked. “What’s all the commotion?”

“Belle, Asmo, and Mammon are all in bed together, tangled up in each other and stuff,” Levi commented. “It’s hard not to fantasize about where this might be headed.”

Before I could say anything in my defense, Luke came in, surveying the room curiously.

“Fantasize?” he questioned innocently. “What sort of fantasy are we talking about? Like knights and wizards and stuff?”

“Are they eating anything good in this fantasy?” Beel asked as he too entered the room.

“Oh jeez...” I let out. “Is the entire frikken castle coming up here?”

“It seems that way,” Simeon lamented. “Looks like we’re in for a night full of drama.”

“Asmo, you bastard!” Mammon snapped, continuing to try and pry me out of Asmo’s grip. “Quit snuggling up against Belle! Go away, you moron!”

“Excuse me?” Asmo retorted, shoving Mammon away. “It’s none of your business who I snuggle up to or get lovey-dovey with, now is it? And your constant yelling is getting rather annoying!”

“I’ll be as annoying as I have to be!” Mammon challenged, actually managing to grab me and dislodge me from Asmo’s grip. “Whatever it takes to get you off of Belle! Get away, get away, get away, GET AWAY!”

“Ugh, you never shut up, do you?” Asmo sneered. “Anyway, why should I listen to you? And what makes you think  _ you  _ can boss _ me _ around?”

“Cause I’m the first one Belle made a pact with! That makes me Belle’s first man and demon! So keep your hands to yourself when I’m around! Show some respect!”

That made Asmo turn from annoyance and anger to amusement. At this point though, I was angry. I pulled myself from Mammon’s grip, fixing him with a glare.

“Okay, let me get something straight right here and now. You are not my ‘first man’, and even if you were, you don’t own me! If anything, I own your sorry ass!”

Satan choked on a laugh, covering his mouth. Levi let out a long ‘oooh’ sound as Luke went wide-eyed at my display. Beel and Simeon were just watching at this point, curious how this would turn out. I barely paid them any mind, poking Mammon hard in the chest.

“And another thing, why does it matter who was first? I was actually enjoying myself when you came busting in her, turning our room into a shouting match! You have no right to boss anyone around, got it?!”

“Oh Belle,” Asmodeus gushed, coming up behind me and wrapping his arms around me. “I do love how assertive you can be. I can feel the power in your words, making me want to worship you for the rest of eternity...”

He placed a gentle kiss on my cheek, and Mammon lost it. He launched forward, grabbing a pillow off my bed.

“Damnit, Asmo! Go away! Stop touching Belle!”

I stepped back, pinching the bridge of my nose.

“Do you think he heard a single word I said?” I wondered aloud.

“Knowing Mammon, absolutely not,” Levi replied, sliding his hands into his pockets and shaking his head.

“Not a chance,” Satan agreed.

“Hey Belle, did you bring that box of snacks you keep in your closet?” Beel questioned, already rummaging through my suitcase. “I’m hungry.”

By this point, Asmo and Mammon had devolved into a shouting match, hurling insults of varying degrees of profanity. Simeon actually ended up covering Luke’s ears at one point where Mammon was basically spewing various innuendos and suggestions of various ways Asmo could screw himself. However, the real kicker was when he lobbed the pillow he was holding right at Asmo’s face.

“Hey!” Asmo shouted. “Did you just-? Oh that’s it! You’re dead now Mammon! Go burn in the deepest levels of Hell!”

He grabbed his own pillow, throwing it at Mammon just as Solomon joined the part.

“Sounds like something interesting is going on in here,” the sorcerer remarked before surveying the scene. “Oh, I see. I suppose someone should stop this before it escalates.”

“Trust me, Solomon,” Simeon spoke up. “We’ve already passed the point of no return with them.”

“You were asking for it, Asmo!” Mammon shouted, grabbing another pillow and throwing it. “You deserve it, you cheap, thirsty whore of a demon!”

“Oh yeah? Well you’re money grubbing trash!” Asmo screamed as he began throwing an entire barrage of pillows. “A scumbag who’d sell his own soul for a Grimm! The only thing that might make up for your awful existence is if you just ended it! Now!”

“That’s no way to be talking to your older brother!” Mammon snapped, dodging the pillows before throwing some more of his own. “You’d better start showin’ me some respect!”

“ **_Respect?!_ ** ” Asmo sounded downright furious as he shrieked, throwing a pillow so hard, I’m surprised it didn’t dent the wall. “What did  _ you _ ever do to earn my respect?! I’m  **_embarrassed_ ** to have someone like you for an older brother!  **_Mortified_ ** even!”

“So...” I let out. “How long until this completely explodes into something worse?”

As if to answer my question, Mammon threw another pillow, screaming profanities the entire time. However, his shot went wide, and ended up hitting Satan in the face instead. Everything fell silent as Satan pulled the pillow off his face, his expression twisted with rage. Mammon swallowed hard as the Avatar of Wrath focused his attention on his greedy brother.

“Uh…. my bad?”

“That  **_IT!!_ ** ” Satan howled. “You’re both  **_DEAD!!_ ** _ You heard me?!  _ **_DEAD!!!_ ** ”

He threw the pillow as hard as he could, making Mammon dive to the floor. As such, it ended up hitting Simeon instead. This made Luke perk up in rage as he grabbed his own pillow, white light surrounding it.

“Just what do you think you’re doing, throwing a pillow at Simeon! Take _this!_ _Super Celestial Shooting Pillow!_ ”

Now there were even more pillows flying around the room, making me duck down behind one of the beds so I wouldn’t get caught in the crossfire. I covered my head, trying to keep low. However, others did not share my sense of self preservation. Beel stared at the flying pillows, drooling and licking his lips.

“Look at the huge marshmallows flying through the air...” he let out, clearly delirious from hunger. “They look so yummy.”

He managed to catch a pillow and prepared to take a bite, but Asmo quickly snatched it out of his hands.

“My pillow is not food!” he declared, just in time to get hit with a pillow from Satan. “Hey! That hurt! You testosterone laden buffoon!”

“Solomon!” Mammon howled, focusing on the white-haired magician. “You son of a bitch! You think you’re  _ so great _ just because you’re human like Belle!”

Solomon actually laughed, already grabbing a pillow of his own.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, but I assume you’re attempting to start a fight with me. Very well then. Have at thee!”

He reeled back his hand to throw the pillow, then Lucifer came storming into the room, his arms crossed and his face a full on snarl.

“ **_Just WHAT do you all think you’re DOING?!_ ** ”

Everyone froze, turning to see the furious eldest brother standing in the door. Mammon actually looked scared for his life, and Asmo shoved his pillow into Mammon’s hands. While they did this, I peeked out from behind my bed to see Diavolo walking in as well. Seeing the Demon Prince’s angry face nearly made me wet myself as he mimicked Lucifer’s stern demeanor.

“That is a very good question, Lucifer. Really, I have to say, I’m disappointed.”

“Diavolo,” Lucifer told him. “I promise you that I am going to have a  _ good _ long talk with the lot of them, and ensure that-”

“I mean, a pillow fight?” Diavolo interjected, his angry demeanor suddenly melting into amusement and mirth as he picked up one of the many discarded pillows. “How could you do something fun like that and yet not think to invite us?”

That seemed to take the wind out of Lucifer’s sails. He blinked, turning to Diavolo in confusion.

“...What?”

“It’s a pillow fight, Lucifer!” Diavolo gushed, sounding like a little kid with a new toy. “A _pillow fight!_ _This_ is what overnight retreats are all about. I mean, it’s straight out of the book, _Youthful Fun 101!_ ”

Lucifer took a moment to regain his composure, then coughed and adjusted the collar of his pajama shirt.

“No,” he said after a minute. “I’m sorry. Starry-eyed nostalgia is all well and good, but I won’t stand for this.”

Unfortunately for Lucifer, and for myself, Mammon had taken Diavolo’s excitement of the fight as an invitation to continue. He grabbed a pillow, grinning widely.

“You’re lettin’ your guard down, Asmo! Take  _ this! _ ”

Asmo deftly dodged the attack, and like before it ended up hitting someone other than his target. However, this time he ended up hitting none other than Diavolo himself! If Mammon had been scared when he hit Satan, he was terrified now. He turned utterly pale, stumbling back a step.

“Uh-oh...” he whimpered.

“Oooh,” Levi hissed. “RIP Mammon! That critical hit on Lord Diavolo has just pulled some  _ serious _ aggro from Lucifer now!”

Oh was Levi right. Lucifer had slipped out of his shouting and raging, entering the kind of quiet fury that would make any sane person run for the hills. He crossed his arms, glaring at everyone, but especially Mammon.

“Anyone...” he let out, his voice dripping with malice and threatening undertones, “who dares throw a pillow at Diavolo must…  **_DIE!_ ** ”

He snatched the pillow right off Diavolo’s face, throwing it so hard at Mammon. It struck the greedy demon with enough strength to knock him on his ass. Asmo busted out into laughter at the sight, pointing and laughing at the now unconscious demon.

“Serves you right, Mammon!”

“Lucifer, were you actually trying to  _ kill _ Mammon with that pillow?” I squeaked.

“I wouldn’t put it past him,” Solomon commented. “That pillow was flying so fast, I’m almost certain it was on fire.”

“That was incredible...” Luke gasped. “Are Devildom pillows made to function as weapons too?”

“No,” Simeon answered with a shake of his head. “These are just normal pillows you’d find anywhere else.”

His initial, deadly rage now sated, Lucifer picked up another pillow, a small, malicious smirk now gracing his features.

“Alright, any of you who are brave enough to take a pillow to the face, step forward!”

Diavolo laughed happily, grabbing more pillows to arm his right hand man. Lucifer, now fully in the spirit of the game, began throwing his fiery projectiles. One nearly hit Asmo in the head, eliciting a scream from the lust avatar.

“D-Don’t aim for my face! Please, anything but the face!”

I was more focused on where the pillow went, which was right through my bed. There was now a large, smouldering hole through the mattress, and the pillow was inches from where I was crouched, the fabric charred and smoking slightly.

“He-” Beel gulped. “He left a hole in the bed. A  _ hole! _ In the  **_bed!_ ** ”

“I have to say, Lucifer and Diavolo are quite the team,” Solomon commended. “They work in such perfect coordination.”

More flaming pillows were flying through the air, and I actually grabbed Solomon by his robe and pulled him out of the path of one.

“Now is **_not_** the time to be admiring them!” I hissed.

As if proving my point, Luke got nailed by one of the pillows, flying off the bed and collapsing to the ground clutching his stomach. Beel took one to the side and went spinning out, dropping to the floor as a second got him in the back of the head. Satan went down next, actually getting hit in the groin. I actually cupped myself as he let out a falsetto wheeze and dropped.

“Whoa!” Levi cheered, filming the entire fight on his D.D.D. “Lucifer is racking up the kills!”

“Perhaps you’re right,” Solomon allowed, turning to me. “This has become less of a pillow fight and more of a game of Frantically Dodge the Flaming Balls of Death Flying Past.”

“Well then!” Simeon declared, hopping up and grabbing a pillow for himself. “Looks like it’s my turn! Get ready!”

He began actually returning fire, sending out glowing pillows like the one Luke had used. While he did that, Solomon and I turned for the door. Sharing a nod, we began crawling to safety, sliding outside and closing the door behind us. Both of us let out sighs of relief, then I wiped my brow.

“Which way’s your room?” I asked.

“This way,” Solomon replied, holding out a hand. “Perhaps there, we can avoid the massacre in your room, and you can finally get some proper rest.”

I nodded in agreement and we both headed off, leaving the wild racket of the pillow war to fade off into the distance.


	17. The Rebellious Brother

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Belle must contend with Satan, the fourth brother, while navigating the CLEARLY volatile relationship he holds with Lucifer.

_Lucifer and Diavolo stood out on one of the balconies of the Demon Lord’s Castle, looking out at the starry sky reflecting in a lake below. Diavolo was still laughing slightly to himself, coming down off the excitement he’d felt during the pillow war. Lucifer did not share his excitement, sighing forlornly to himself as he stared off into the distance. Upon seeing his companions lackluster attitude, Diavolo turned to him, smiling while shaking his head and laughing again. This seemed to annoy Lucifer, who turned to the Demon Prince._

_“Is there something amusing about hearing me sigh?” he questioned._

_“Not at all,” Diavolo replied, his smile never waning. “I was just thinking about how much fun you seemed to be having with the pillow war. Compared to your usual melancholy, such a fun-loving side is quite a surprise.”_

_“I wasn’t having fun, Diavolo. I was punishing them for what they did.”_

_“Are you sure?” Diavolo teased, gently ribbing Lucifer. “Because it seemed like you were enjoying the entire experience quite a bit.”_

_“If I’d enjoyed it, I wouldn’t be sighing right now, would I?”_

_Diavolo shook his head._

_“That’s not what’s bothering you, is it?” He crossed his arms, cracking a smirk. “Tell me, Lucifer, what’s the real reason for your melancholy.”_

_Lucifer was silent at first, pointedly looking away and leaning on the banister. Diavolo placed a hand on his shoulder, giving him a sympathetic look._

_“Lucifer, it’s just you and me now. Everyone else was completely wiped out from that frenzied battle. They’re all fast asleep. Come on, you can tell me. What’s the harm?”_

_After a moment, Lucifer sighed and turned to him._

_“As if you need to ask. You already know the answer, and you’ve known for a good, long time now.”_

_Diavolo’s face grew serious and he crossed his arms, leaning on the banister himself._

_“So… it’s about Belle, isn’t it.”_

_“Yes,” Lucifer nodded. “Asmo is already the fourth of my brothers to make a pact with Belle.”_

_Diavolo’s smile returned and he laughed a bit._

_“I see. You’ve spent so long watching over and caring for them, and now that it seems like they’re all grown up and don’t need you anymore. You’re starting to panic.”_

_Lucifer sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose._

_“You seem to find my distress awfully amusing.”_

_“Sorry, but I can’t help it. Seeing how genuinely troubled you seem to be over this, I mean come on.” His face fell and his hand returned to Lucifer’s shoulder. “This is a good thing, right? Demons and a human putting aside their differences and forming a bond? It’s exactly what I’ve been hoping would happen. Can’t you be happy for them?”_

_“No, I can’t,” Lucifer replied, shaking his head as he lowered his hand. “This is one case where I can’t simply put aside my concerns and be happy.” He straightened up, turning to face Diavolo. “Of all the humans to choose as an exchange student, why did you have to pick_ **_her_ ** _?”_

_“What do you have against Belle? She’s been an exceptional student and has been fitting in well.”_

_“I just...” Lucifer groaned, turning away. “The longer she’s here, the more uneasy I feel. She’s up to something… I just don’t know what.”_

_I was watching this entire exchange from the doorframe, then I felt a hand on my shoulder. I jumped, turning to see Barbatos standing there._

_“It’s bad form to eavesdrop on others,” he admonished quietly. “I certainly can’t say I approve, Satan.”_

_My point of view shifted, showing Satan crouched behind the door. He straightened up, facing Barbatos. He looked more annoyed and angry about being caught than anything._

_“What about you?” he accused. “What are you doing here, Barbatos?”_

_“It’s my job to stay close to Lord Diavolo, so that I may better serve him,” the demonic butler replied casually._

_“Then I’m guessing you heard what they were saying, didn’t you?”_

_“Indeed I did,” Barbatos nodded._

_“Then what do you make of all this? Why do you think Belle was chosen for the exchange program? I mean, you have to admit that there’s more to this.” Satan spread his arms a bit, his annoyance only growing. “An average human suddenly dropped down into the Devildom, and not only manages to make pacts with four demons, but somehow possesses even more power than- than Solomon?! No one should be_ **_that_ ** _good.” He was growing a bit more desperate, his hand movements becoming somewhat more frenzied. “Not to mention, the demons she’s got under her heel aren’t just some lower-tier demons either. Every one of them are Avatars, representations of sins, members of the student council! And you expect us to believe that it was just an accident that Belle was selected for the exchange program? No way. There has to be more to it! There has to be!”_

_“Who knows?” Barbatos shrugged, noncommittally. “The only thing I can say is this: Even if it wasn’t part of Lord Diavolo’s plan, perhaps this wasn’t an accident but an inevitability?”_

_Satan blinked, then just looked at Barbatos in confusion._

_“What’s that supposed to-?”_

_“Tomorrow is the last day of the retreat,” Barbatos interjected, taking Satan by the shoulder and escorting him off. “I recommend you go ahead and get to bed, Satan.”_

_Satan looked like he wanted to argue, but could tell it was an exercise in futility. Thus, he kept his mouth shut and just let himself be ushered away. I remained where I was, turning back to Lucifer and Diavolo. When I spoke, it was in a voice that was not my own._

**_“An inevitability indeed. One long overdue...”_ **

…

I sat up in bed, blinking and looking around for a moment. For a brief moment, I didn’t recognize where I was, until I remembered I had crashed in Solomon’s room in the wake of the pillow fight. The room was currently vacant, but I could see a small pile of folded clothes sitting on a nearby chair, as well as my toiletries bag, and a note in rather beautiful handwriting.

“ _I picked up some of your things from your room so you could get ready in private. There’s a spell on the door to keep anyone (read Mammon) from attempting to disturb you. Once you are ready, come join me in the kitchen. We are in charge of food today, and I would hate to disappoint our hosts. - Solomon._ ”

I set down the note and picked up my clothes, getting dressed as I mulled over my dream. Considering I rarely remembered my dreams, if I did at all, and never in such detail, I had my suspicions that what I saw actually happened. That meant someone had shown it to me, but who? I didn’t recognize the voice, though it was clearly a woman. Who was she? Why did she show me that, and what did she mean by “Long overdue”? These questions continued going through my head as I made my way down to the kitchen.

…

Here are some interesting facts about Solomon, just in case you were curious. First off, he’s one of the most powerful sorcerers of the modern age. Second, he’s made pacts with 72 different demons, including Asmodeus and Barbatos himself. Third, I’m almost certain that he is the biblical King Solomon the Wise, though I have yet to find any hard proof of this aside from the fact that he is _clearly_ older than he looks. Finally, despite all his power, all his knowledge, and his supposed longevity, he is a completely and utterly **_HORRIBLE_ ** cook.

When we were cooking, I can’t really say what he decided to make. It was some sort of weird stew that was, I kid you not, purple. It had various bits and pieces bobbing in the slurry, and was giving off a putrid green smoke. Upon seeing this clearly inedible matter, I made sure to double up on my own recipes. While I was nowhere near a professional chef, I at least knew enough that my food was edible. I stuck with dishes I knew I could make easily and that I knew I liked, figuring the inedible slurry would not be touched.

As we emerged from the kitchen, everyone was gathered around the main dining table. Almost everyone looked beyond exhausted, bags under their eyes, rumbled clothes that were haphazardly put on, and Luke was flat out asleep on Simeon’s shoulder. The taller angel seemed to laugh a bit as he adjusted his tunic.

“It would seem no one got enough sleep last night,” he remarked.

“Well, the pillow war continued right up until dawn,” Solomon replied.

“Wait, did you actually go back?” I questioned.

“I certainly wasn’t going to miss out on the fun. Once you were safely out of harm's way, I elected to remain and enjoy myself.”

“About the only one who’s not affected is Beel,” Levi grumbled, leaning on the table. “It’s not fair...”

“I’m okay,” Beel insisted. “Lack of sleep is nothing compared to being hungry. Hunger is worse.”

Off to the side, Asmo was looking at himself in a compact mirror, sighing to himself as he gently caressed his cheek. He then snapped the mirror shut and turned to Mammon with a sad, pitiful frown.

“Look what you did, Mammon. I didn’t get enough sleep, and now my skin is in terrible shape today.”

“How is it _my_ fault?” Mammon snapped irritably. “ **_You’re_ ** the one who wouldn’t keep their hands off Belle!”

“Again with this?” I groaned. “Mammon, you don’t get to dictate who touches me and who doesn’t. The only one who gets to decide that is me, got it?”

“Exactly,” Asmo declared with a nod. “I swear, you’re such an idiot that even when you get jealous, it’s about something so stupid! I mean, if you want to get lovey-dovey with Belle, just ask her. The worst she can do is say no. Then again, considering what a scummy demon you are, the answer probably **_will_ ** be no, especially when she has someone like me to cuddle with.”

I rolled my eyes as Solomon and I began setting out the food. By this point, Mammon was as red as a tornado, sputtering like mad.

“Wh- Hey! C-C’mon, as if I’d ever get lovey-dovey with a human! The odor would rub off on me and then I’d smell like a human.”

“Frankly, that would be an improvement,” I deadpanned.

That got a collection of “oohs” from everyone, and a “Ouch! Burn Mammon! Lolol!” from Levi. Mammon growled and sank into his chair, trying to disappear into the cushion. At that moment, Barbatos appeared, looking untouched by the ravages of sleeplessness.

“Good morning everyone,” Barbatos greeted before seemingly catching himself. “Oh, I’m sorry. I suppose it would be more appropriate to say ‘good afternoon’, given it is nearly 1 PM.”

“Is that sarcasm I hear?” Satan questioned before just shaking his head. “Anyways, where’s Lord Diavolo? I would have thought he’d be first in line for Human Realm food.”

“He’s still asleep,” Barbatos replied. “He and Lucifer stayed up talking well after the rest of you fell asleep.”

He gave Satan a pointed look, the wrathful demon actually looking away. I actually stopped what I was doing as my dream was confirmed to have actually happened. This revelation actually threw me off, until Beel spoke up.

“Can we get to the part where we eat now?” he questioned, his stomach growling ominously. “I’m hungry...”

“Ah, yes,” Barbatos replied, smiling warmly. “Brunch is ready and waiting, prepared especially by Isabella and Solomon themselves.”

“I merely lended a hand here and there,” Solomon said with a humble smile. “Belle did most of the cooking.”

“Thank God...” I muttered under my breath as I eyed the horrible looking stew.

“Alright!” Beel cheered. “Let’s dig in!”

…

By the end of the meal, almost all of my food had been utterly demolished. Part of me wondered if that was because it was actually good, or because it was at least edible. Unfortunately for everyone, they all tried a bite of Solomon’s “food”, and were instantly sick. Even Beel, **_BEEL_ **, turned up his nose at the stuff, not that I blamed him. Shockingly, Solomon was able to eat his own cooking without so much as a grimace. The best I could figure was that after years of his own cooking, he’d utterly massacred his taste buds.

I managed to avoid such a fate, citing an allergy to bell peppers, which I could see occasionally bobbing in the horrid sludge. Asmo also turned down the food, giving an excuse about watching his figure. Given that he’s in a pact with Solomon, I can assume that he was already well aware of Solomon’s inability to cook. Considering Barbatos was the same way, me being assigned the cooking duties suddenly made much more sense.

...

Not long after the meal, the retreat came to an end, and we all made our way back home. Returning to the House of Lamentations was no small relief, and I was looking forward to seeing Belphie again. I wanted to tell him about my pact with Asmo, as well as my strange dream. I was so lost in thought that I actually jumped when Mammon dropped his suitcase and spread his arms out wide in a stretch.

“Yep!” he cheered as he came out of the stretch, clapping his hands together. “There’s really no place like home! Ain’t that right, Belle?”

“After the insanity of that retreat, the House of Lamentation does seem almost like a haven,” I admitted. “It’s good to be back.”

“Tell me about it.” Mammon put his hands behind his head, smiling wistfully. “I’ve walked through these halls half a million times, but after bein’ away all this time, I really missed this place.”

“Don’t be so dramatic,” Satan grumbled, making his way inside while pushing past Mammon. “We were gone for three days, that’s it.”

“Only?” Levi repeated, dragging his massive suitcase inside. “Satan, did you really just say we were only away for three days? I’ll have you know that I have 36 Ruri-chan figurines, and they’re more important to me than life itself! But they wouldn’t all fit in my luggage, so I had to leave half of them behind! Eighteen of my figurines, **_abandoned!_ ** Left alone in the House of Lamentation...”

“Levi-” Satan tried to speak, only for Levi to cut him off and jab a finger into his younger brother’s chest.

“Do you know what it was like, being away from Ruri-chan? Imagine if someone ripped off your arms and legs, chopped them into tiny pieces, then put the tiny pieces into a wooden pestle and ground them into a fine paste, then kneaded the paste, shaped it into patties, and grilled them up!” I don’t think he breathed at all during that little rant, and the image made me shudder. “ **_THAT’S_ ** how it felt! And yet here you are, telling me it was _only three days!_ I’d _appreciate_ it if you wouldn’t be so dismissive!”

“Whoa,” Asmo remarked as he entered, seeing the living Levi still in Satan’s face. “Look how serious Levi is! He’s honestly mad right now!”

“I reiterate what I said a while ago,” I said as I sat down on top of my own suitcase. “He’s a full blown _hikikomori._ ”

Satan slapped Levi’s finger away, growling in rage before grabbing his suitcase again.

“There aren’t words to describe how much I can’t stand you guys...” he snarled.

“Did someone say patties?” Beel questioned as he walked in. “Are we having cheeseburgers? Because I want one now.”

That seemed to be the last straw for Satan, who stalked off up the stairs towards his room. After a minute, he slammed his door so hard that the entire house shook, and a portrait fell off the wall. Beel quickly caught it, putting it back on the wall.

“I’m surprised you’re hungry, Beel,” I commented. “You ate most of the food I made, and then froze when you ate Solomon’s.”

Beel actually froze again, everyone else shuddering.

“I tried to warn you all,” Asmo spoke up. “I mean, his stuff didn’t even _look_ like food! Why would you eat something that looked like _that?!_ ”

“I will admit, it looked just as toxic as it tasted,” Mammon groaned.

“Why don’t we change the subject,” Asmo insisted. “Who wants to talk about Solomon and his horrible cooking when we can discuss how fruitful the trip was, especially for me.”

“Ugh...” Levi groaned, flopping onto his suitcase.. “Here we go again. Time to listen to Asmo go on and on about himself and all the wonderful things that happened to him again. So annoying...”

“But think about it though,” Asmo insisted. “This is _me_ we’re talking about. **_Me!_ ** Making a pact! With a _human!_ Who isn’t Solomon! I mean, can you believe it?!” He sighed, twirling and hugging himself as he smiled, caressing his pact bracelet lovingly. “It’s been _so_ long since I’ve felt this way… you know, that amazing feeling you get when you really _connect_ with someone.”

“Gluh… Mammon gagged. “Stop making it sound so creepy!”

“I didn’t think it sounded creepy,” I piped up. “I mean, these pacts serve as connectors sorts.”

“If that’s the case, then you and I have a connection as well! As does Levi, and Beel!”

“So don’t go getting any ideas into that head of yours,” Levi chimed in, mimicking Mammon in a rather unflattering way, complete with a hand puppet and funny faces. “Belle doesn’t belong to you!”

I actually laughed at that impression, as did Asmo and Beel. Mammon growled in annoyance, sputtering in anger before just grabbing his suitcase and heading off. Levi and Beel took this as their cue to leave as well, heading to unpack. I went to do the same, heading for my room. Asmo came up behind me, his teasing tone fading to something a bit more serious.

“I’m curious though, Belle,” he spoke up as we reached my room. “Why is it that you want to make pacts with us, anyway?”

“Honestly?” I replied, opening the door. “I want to earn Lucifer’s respect.”

“Really?” Asmo questioned, leaving his suitcases out in the hall as he followed me into my room. “Is that all? My, you certainly are an interesting one.”

I gave a shrug as I began unpacking. Asmo came and joined me, taking my clothes and beginning to fold them neatly and intricately.

“Why exactly are you seeking Lucifer’s respect? What is the point of this venture?”

“An excellent question, Asmo,” Lucifer’s voice called from my doorway. “What _is_ the point of that?”

I tensed hard, gripping the shirt in my hand so hard I nearly tore it. My heart was pounding in my chest, and I’m pretty sure I was sweating. Taking a breath, I turned to face the eldest demon. He was just standing there, his arms crossed as he met my gaze. I felt him staring into my soul, and I barely suppressed a shudder. Asmo remained surprisingly silent, just observing us while continuing to fold my clothes.

“I’m not lying about my intentions, if that’s what you’re implying,” I said defensively.

“That much I am willing to believe,” Lucifer acknowledged. “But the question remains. _Why_ do you want it? What are you trying to accomplish?”

I could hear a few distant doors opening, as if the other brothers were listening in on the conversation. Satan actually came out of his room, sliding down the hall towards my room. I kept my focus on Lucifer, taking a breath again.

“All I want is for you to look at me as someone worthy of being treated like an equal. Someone you’ll listen to and take seriously. Let’s face it, right now the only reason you give me the time of day is because of Diavolo, and because you see me as some sort of threat to your brothers.” Lucifer’s face fell, but I didn’t back down. “Sure I have power, apparently, but I can’t control it. Making pacts is the only way you’ll notice me, and it’s the only way I can accomplish my end goal.”

“End goal?” Lucifer repeated, his voice as hard as his gaze. “And what would that be?”

“Good question,” Satan admitted, gaining Lucifer’s attention. “Well, whatever it is, I’ll have to help you with it, Belle.”

“What?” I questioned, completely confused. “I’m confused. What are you saying?”

“I’m saying,” Satan stepped in front of Lucifer, holding out a hand. “I’ll make a pact with you.”

There was a collective gasp from all across the hallway, as well as coughing from Beel’s room, which I could only assume was Beel choking on something. Asmo ended up dropping my clothes all over the floor, his eyes wide. Lucifer just glared at both me and Satan, his gaze so cold and murderous I’m surprised we didn’t keel over immediately.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” Mammon shouted, running down the hall as he rushed to my room. “ _You’re_ gonna help Belle, Satan? **_YOU?_ ** Why?!”

“I must admit, this is...” Asmo paused, as if trying to pick and choose his words carefully, “very out of character. You’ve abhorred the idea of making a pact with anyone, so what makes Belle different?”

“Simple,” Satan replied, shooting Lucifer a shit-eating grin. “A pact with Belle will make life hard for a _certain someone._ ”

“ **_That’s enough, Satan,_ **” Lucifer growled, his eyes flaring dangerously.

“Hey, all I said is that it will make life hard for ‘a certain someone’,” Satan argued innocently. “I have to say though, you seem awfully concerned about the pacts Belle has been making, aren’t you Lucifer?”

The rage palpitating off both Lucifer and Satan was so thick, you could cut it with a knife. I backed up nervously, Asmo doing the same as we slipped out of my room. By now, everyone was gathered around my door, watching the stand off.

“Levi,” Asmo piped up, getting the attention of the third oldest demon. “I feel like there’s something otaku and forum trolls like to say when things start getting heated like this. What was it again?”

“Get out the popcorn!” Levi cheered.

“Right, that’s it.” Asmo threw his fist in the air. “ _Get out the popcorn!_ ”

Beel licked his lips at the idea, but Mammon was just staring at the standoff with a nervous expression. I was in a similar state, half afraid that my room was going to be Ground Zero of an all out war between Lucifer and Satan.

“...Do you really dislike me that much, Satan?” Lucifer questioned, a deceptive smile on his face.

“Let me turn that question around on you,” Satan sneered, his smile dropping completely. “Did you honestly think I _liked_ you? Really?”

Lucifer’s hands clenched on his arms, his face becoming a blank, unreadable mask.

“...I see,” he let out. “Alright then, if that’s the way it’s going to be, then get out of this house, Satan. Now.”

“You want me to leave?” Satan questioned, actually sounding amused. “Wow, for once, you’re actually giving me an order I’ll _happily_ follow.” He gave a dramatic bow, turning towards the exit, where we all gave him a wide berth. “Consider me gone, Lucifer!”

Despite my fear and the general tenseness of the situation, I felt I had to step in. Without even realizing it, I was standing in front of Satan, keeping him from leaving.

“Satan, wait,” I insisted. “I don’t want to be responsible for you and Lucifer falling out. Please don’t-”

“Responsible?” Satan interjected, placing a hand on my shoulder and shaking his head. “No Belle. This isn’t about you. This was _never_ about you. This was just….” he sighed, “inevitable.”

He then pushed me aside with surprising strength, and began walking off. Mammon caught me as I stumbled back, glaring at Satan.

“Whoa, hey now. Just calm down, both of-”

“Drop it, Mammon,” Lucifer commanded, his voice cold. “Let your hopelessly ungrateful brother do as he pleases.”

That made Satan stop in his tracks. He turned on his heels, marching right back towards Lucifer. Mammon wrapped his arms around me in a protective manner, Beel, Levi, and Asmo all backing away and offering arms of protection as Satan got right back in his elder brother’s face.

“ ** _UNGRATEFUL?!_** Did you just call me **_ungrateful?!_** Do you honestly think I owe **_YOU_** a debt of **_gratitude?!_** You know what? **_FINE!_** I _will_ do as I please!!”

Satan stormed off once more, and Lucifer was right behind them. Door slammed hard once more as they both retreated to their room.

“And they’re gone,” Mammon declared, all but shoving me back into my room. “We should retreat too, before one of them decides to come back out.”

“Aww, but I wanted to see fireworks,” Asmo whined as he nonetheless followed after us.

…

My stuff finally got put away as we all sought refuge in my room. As we did, I came clean to Asmo about my plans to get Belphie and Lucifer to talk. He was understandably surprised I knew about his seventh brother, but thankfully, Beel provided me a cover story about my knowledge, admitting to telling me about him during the time I was staying in his room.

“So that’s what all this is about,” Asmo mused, unnaturally serious.

“If Lucifer and Belphegor did make amends, then Belphegor might be able to come back from the human world,” Beel explained.

“Awww,” Asmo gushed, scooting closer to me and pulling me into a hug. “All of this is so you can reunite all us brothers. You are such a sweetheart!”

“Asmo, quit snuggling with Belle!” Mammon snapped, moving to intercept us. “Back off!”

“Mammon, stay!” I commanded.

The pact hit him like a freight train as he was suddenly forced back onto the ground where he had been sitting. His pact bracelet was glowing as he was tethered to the ground, unable to move or even budge his wrist.

“Oh _come on!_ ”

“Well, you’re certainly bold enough for such an audacious plan,” Asmo remarked. “And it’s certainly not something I saw coming. You’re so unpredictable, and I love it.”

“Thanks Asmo,” I told him, looking at the charm bracelet before sighing. “Unfortunately, I think my pacts are having the opposite effect. Lucifer doesn’t respect me, he just hates me. Although I have to admit, I didn’t expect the kind of reaction I got from Satan, or from Lucifer.”

“Actually, it’s less surprising than you might think,” Levi spoke up. “He knows it will piss Lucifer off, so he decided to do it.”

“All the more reason for you to say no,” Beel insisted. “If Satan makes a pact for the sole purpose of pissing off Lucifer-”

“Then it will just hurt my standing even more than it already is to accept it,” I finished. “Yeah, that makes sense.” I sighed, rubbing my face. “I just wish I knew why Satan hates Lucifer so much. If I’m completely honest, I always assumed Satan and Lucifer were the same people before I came down here. You’d think they’d be like… friends at the bare minimum.”

“Well, you’re not wrong,” Asmo informed me. “They’re so alike, and that’s why they hate each other.”

“I’d say it’s less like that, and more of an Oedipus complex thing,” Levi interjected.

“Isn’t that the guy who slept with his own mom after murdering his dad and ended up having his own sisters as kids?” I questioned.

“Hang on, slow down,” Mammon insisted, waving his unpinned arm at all of us. “None of you are making any sense, and I’m pretty sure you’re just confusing Belle.”

“And you can explain it better than we can?” Levi challenged. “That’s rich, coming from the dumbest of us demons.”

“I’m hungry...” Beel groaned, getting up and making for my wardrobe.

“Stay out of my snacks!” I snapped. “If you’re hungry, go raid the fridge again!”

“Hey, stop ignoring me!” Mammon shouted, getting our attention before turning back to me. “Let’s start at the beginning. When we first came to the Devildom after the Fall, well… things weren’t the best. We had just gotten out of the massive fight with our father, and Lucifer was real, real, **_REAL_ ** mad at him. Satan ended up being born out of that wrath. Make sense?”

I blinked.

“So… Satan wasn’t an angel like you guys? He’s not...”

“Nope!” Levi declared. “He’s been a demon since the day he manifested. We had to teach him how to be anything but wrath. Kind of like one of those games where you raise your own character and train it. We all pitched in, but Lucifer put in the most effort.”

“But... I thought he was the fourth oldest out of all of you.”

“Oh, that’s not age based,” Asmo explained. “We’re arranged by our power levels. Lucifer is the most powerful, obviously, then there’s Mammon for some reason.”

“I’m sitting right here!” Mammon shouted.

“I’m third!” Levi declared happily, completely ignoring Mammon. “Then Satan. Considering that he’s a physical manifestation of Lucifer’s wrath, it makes sense he wouldn’t be as powerful as Lucifer, but he was definitely sore to discover he was fourth out of seven.”

“That explains why he exploded at the whole ‘ungrateful’ quip,” I realized. “Satan wouldn’t exist without Lucifer.”

“And he hates that,” Beel commented. “He feels like he’s bound to Lucifer in that way, and it’s a bond he can never break.”

“But Lucifer’s not just overbearing on Satan,” Asmo insisted. “He’s that way with all of us.”

“Right...” I let out.

I sat back, allowing myself a moment to process this information. With everything I’d learned, it was clear that there was much more to the argument earlier than I’d initially suspected. I needed to get to the bottom of this, and to do that, I needed to talk to Satan directly.


	18. The Big Switch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An incident with an enchanted book causes Lucifer and Satan to switch bodies. This should be interesting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When the switch happens, I use the names used in the game to refer to who's in whose body. Satan(Lucifer) Is Satan's body with Lucifer's soul. Lucifer(Satan) is Lucifer's body with Satan's soul.

I stood outside of Satan’s room, swallowing a lump of fear that had coalesced in my throat. My hands were shaking slightly as I raised one to knock. I didn’t know if Satan was still angry, and I did not want to get caught in the crossfire of his wrath. Still, I knew this was my only chance to actually get some answers, as well as get a genuine pact from Satan. Thus, I steeled my nerves and knocked.

“Satan?” I called out. “It’s me. Can I come in?”

“Sure,” Satan called from inside.

I opened the door, and my jaw dropped at the sight of his room. The only furniture I could see was a plush, red chair situated under a wrought iron overhang, and a simple bed with very minimalistic bedding tucked under a large, cathedral-like window. Everything else was just absolutely **_COVERED_ ** in books. Shelves lined every wall, filled to the brim with books of every shape and size. Towers filled the floor, with some small paths weaving in between them. Even the small, spiral staircase to the second story had stacks of books all over it. What really got my attention were the few books that were flying like birds around the room.

As I came out of my bibliophilic stupor, I managed to catch sight of Satan amidst the labyrinth of books. He had a few more suitcases out, and appeared to be in the middle of angrily stuffing them with his clothes. I approached cautiously, and he looked up long enough to acknowledge my presence.

“If you came here to try and stop me, you’re wasting your time,” he insisted, resuming his packing. “Although, none of my idiot brothers would send you here to stop me. They all think it’s funny.”

“I didn’t come here to stop you,” I insisted. “I just want to talk, if that’s alright.”

“If we’re talking, we can discuss which of my books to take with me. There’s so many of them that I couldn’t possibly take them all.”

“I’m surprised you could even read this many,” I admitted, looking back around the room. “There’s enough books in here to make the one in Beauty and the Beast look like an underfunded public library.”

Satan paused his packing, cracking a smile as he looked back at me.

“So, you’re interested in books?”

“Understatement,” I answered. “My mom read to me from the womb, and ever since, I’ve been an avid reader. Heck, up in the human world, most parents bribe their kids with toys or money in exchange for good grades. My mom bribed me with trips to this massive, local bookstore.”

“Is that so?” Satan mused, giving me a nod. “Maybe you’re not so bad after all.”

“Where did you even find all these?” I questioned.

“I’ve collected so many from various sources. I have many rare documents and one-of-a-kind books. Like that shelf there,” he pointed to a massive shelving unit covered in leather bound tomes, “contains my collection of magic-based books. That one there,” he gestured to a strange, diamond patterned shelf that had various, rolled up scrolls, “has all my ancient scrolls and manuscripts. Some are even rough drafts of various famous works that never made it to the publisher.”

“Whoa...” I let out, then I spotted a very worn and frayed book sitting on a pedestal. “What about this one?”

I reached out to take a look at the cover, and Satan quickly caught my wrist.

“Whoa, be careful,” he warned, gently releasing my wrist. “Actually, don’t even touch it.”

“What is it?” I questioned again. “Why can’t I touch it?”

“Because if two or more people touch it, they’ll switch bodies.”

I stepped away from the book.

“Why would you keep such a dangerous book just out in the open? Heck, why would you keep it period?”

“Because books are knowledge, and all of the knowledge from these books, it’s all inside me. Knowledge is power, Belle. People respect someone who’s well informed.” Satan’s face seemed to fall a bit, and his eyes grew distant. “No matter the circumstances of your birth, if you’re smart enough, then people can’t dismiss you.”

I nodded silently to that. Given everything I’d learned about Satan and how he came to be, his desperation for something to call his own made sense. He wanted to be seen as his own demon, and to not be seen as just a part of Lucifer.

“I take it from your look that my loose-lipped brothers told you about me...” he grumbled.

I nodded again.

“They explained everything, including the whole order you guys are in being a power level thing.”

“It’s that, as well as the order in which we were born in the Devildom. Our names were given by the Demon King, Diavolo’s father. He gave us our names based on our power as demons, from most to least powerful. I was the last us to be born in this world, and the fourth most powerful… the fourth… I mean, I was born from Lucifer himself, right? Ugh… it irritates the hell out of me.”

“So Levi wasn’t exaggerating when he said you were upset about being fourth...” I muttered under my breath.

“What was that?”

“Nothing!”

Satan looked at me for a moment, then shook his head and turned back to his packing.

“Whatever, enough chit chat. I’ve said too much already. Besides, you clearly came in here for a reason. Let me guess, you want to make that pact that Lucifer so rudely interrupted.”

“Actually...” I let out a breath, looking down and rubbing the back of my head. “I’m not here to make a pact.”

Satan dropped the book he had in his hand, and it hit the ground with a heavy thud. He turned to me, eyes blazing with pure, unadulterated rage. He got up, and I instinctively stepped back in fear.

“What did you say?” he growled, continuing to force me back. “I told you I’d make a pact with you. You can’t seriously be planning on _rejecting_ me? You, a _human_ … reject **_me?_ **”

“It’s not like that-” I tried, only to be cut off as I almost tripped over a stack of books.

“ **_Don’t…_ ** trifle with me, human. Don’t you dare. Do you think I’m called the Avatar of **_Wrath_ ** for nothing? I usually work to contain my anger so it doesn’t show, but I **_will_ ** make you suffer if you cross me, and it will be much more cruel and much less humane than anything my brothers would ever do. I’ll slice off your nose and ears, rip off your arms and legs, and feed you to the lower level demons!”

I yelped as I finally hit a wall, Satan slamming his hands on either side of my head, boxing me in. Neither of us noticed the door opening.

“Listen well, **_human!_ ** If you dare say that you won’t make a pact with me again, you’ll pay for it with your-!”

Suddenly, a gloved hand came out of nowhere, grabbing Satan by the back of his shirt and pulling him off me. Satan stumbled back, and we both looked to see Lucifer glaring down at his brother with pure rage.

“ **_That’s enough Satan!_ **”

“Lucifer...” Satan growled, fists clenching.

“Isabella is our guest, whom Diavolo invited as part of our exchange program. I won’t permit you to lay a hand on her.”

Satan snorted, adjusting his jacket before scoffing. “Oh, there you go again! Every time you open your mouth, it’s ‘Diavolo this, Diavolo that’... You’re actually telling me that you’d actually step in to defend a _human?_ For Diavolo? _Well,_ I had _no idea_ you were _such_ a sweetheart!”

“Calm down, Satan,” Lucifer warned, the quiet anger returning to his voice and making me shrink back behind the reading chair. “Don’t give in to your rage, Satan.”

Satan laughed, a bitter, cruel laugh, then jabbed a finger into Lucifer’s chest.

“You’re telling me not to give in to my rage?! **_YOU’RE_ ** really telling me that? **_YOU!_ ** Of all demons!” 

“Uh, Satan...” I tried.

Satan whirled on me and I squeaked in fear, ducking behind the chair again as green power seemed to radiate off of the pissed off demon.

“ **_Stay out of this, or I’ll burn you to a crisp!_ **”

The power he was giving off was beginning to affect the room. Books began flying off the shelves and off the piles, swirling around the room in a dangerous tornado of thick tomes. I covered my head as the books smacked the chair and the shelves behind me. Lucifer ducked and weaved around the books, only occasionally getting smacked.

“Didn’t you hear me?” he questioned, catching one of the books just before it hit him in the face. “I told you to _stop._ ”

“Don’t tell me what to do!” Satan snapped, launching himself forward to grab at the book. “And don’t touch my books!”

I peeked out, gasping as I recognized the book Lucifer was holding.

“Wait!” I screamed, reaching out for them. “That’s the book from the-!”

But it was too late. Satan grabbed the book, the very book that had been sitting on the pedestal I had almost touched. The one that switched the bodies of whomever touched it. Everything went white, and all the books that had been flying around suddenly dropped out of the air, clattering to the ground. Soon, I blinked spots out of my vision, and slowly came out from behind the chair.

“Lucifer?” I called out. “Satan?”

Both of them were on the ground, the enchanted book sitting on the ground in front of them. It looked even more worn out and tattered than before, the pages yellowed and the binding frayed. The two demons rubbed their eyes, looking around.

“What’s going on?” Lucifer questioned, not sounding at all like his usual suave self. “That flash of light… what was it?”

Satan looked down at the book, and his eyes widened.

“No, it can’t be!”

Lucifer looked up, gasping as his eyes landed on Satan.

“Wh-what’s going on?! Why’s there another me here?!”

“Oh no...” I let out, glancing over at Lucifer’s body first. “You’re Satan...” I then turned to Satan’s body. “And you’re Lucifer… you switched bodies.”

“ **_WHAT?!_ **” Lucifer(Satan) exclaimed.

“The book I caught,” Satan(Lucifer) explained, the calm demeanor on the wrathful demon’s face looking so alien as he did. “The one you attempted to take from me… when we touched it, we switched, just as Isabella said.”

“Oh boy...” I let out, rubbing my face. “How the hell are we going to explain _this_ to the others?”

…

We gathered everyone in the music room, where I began explaining as best I could what had happened. Lucifer and Satan spent most of my explanation just looking at their borrowed bodies. When I was finished, Asmo was the first to interject, holding up his hands.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, hang on. Slow down for a second. You’re telling me that Satan here is actually Lucifer on the inside, and Lucifer is Satan on the inside?”

“For real?” Beel questioned.

“No way!” Mammon exclaimed.

“Trust me, I couldn’t make this up I tried,” I answered. “They were fighting, there were books everywhere, they both touched a forbidden tome, then BAM!” I clapped my hands together before gesturing to the flip-flopped demons. “They’re like this.”

“Eh,” Levi let out, shrugging.

“ **_EH?!_ ** ” Mammon shouted, looking at Levi like he’s suddenly turned pink with purple polka-dots. “Whaddya mean **_EH?!_ ** This is a big deal!”

“I dunno,” Levi replied, shrugging again. “The whole body switching thing is such an overused trope. I’ve seen it so many times in my manga and anime that it just seems… boring.”

“Levi, this isn’t an anime...” I groaned. “This is real life… somehow.”

“I can’t believe this is happening,” Lucifer(Satan) groaned. “What am I going to tell Diavolo?”

Asmo covered his mouth, giggling before bending over slightly.

“Satan, were you doing an impression of Lucifer just now?!”

Mammon was just flat out laughing, getting an annoyed look from Lucifer(Satan).

“ **_Mammon?!_ **”

Rather than make Mammon scared like such a shout usually would, the greedy demon just laughed. After a bit, he was doubled over, tears in his eyes as he struggled to breathe. This made Lucifer(Satan) break character, cracking a smile as Satan(Lucifer) just glowered at the pair.

“Well, I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself...”

Mammon stopped laughing, swallowing hard and wiping his eyes.

“Um… Sorry...” he let out.

“So Lucifer,” Beel questioned, looking at Satan(Lucifer), “are you two going to go back to normal eventually?”

“Please say yes,” I begged. “This is beyond confusing and I _really_ want you two to go back to normal.”

“According to the literature on this subject, the effect is supposed to last for several days,” Lucifer(Satan) explained.

“Awww, lucky,” Levi whined. “That means you two get to skip school and hang out in your rooms doing whatever you want until it’s over… I’m so jealous.”

“Oh no,” Satan(Lucifer) shot down, much to everyone’s shock. “We’re going to school.”

“What?” Lucifer(Satan) questioned, turning the demon currently inhabiting his body. “Are you insane?”

“Of course we’re going to school,” Satan(Lucifer) declared, crossing his arms and furrowing his brow. “What did you expect? If we stay home, Diavolo will probably start asking questions.”

All of us hissed, knowing that he had a very good point.

“Right,” I admitted. “He and Lucifer are all but glued at the hip, and if the two of you just up and vanish, or we try and make him think you’re sick, he’s gonna be worried and will be pushing to help. Hell, he may even come down here and try to make ‘Lucifer’ feel better.”

“Right on the money, Belle,” Levi declared.

Satan(Lucifer) sat down on a piano bench, rubbing his face. He looked incredibly exhausted, and just done with everything. Not that I blamed him in the slightest. This entire situation was insane, and just about anyone would be overwhelmed. Even the Avatar of Pride, Lucifer.

“I cannot allow Diavolo to learn that I have allowed a mistake of this magnitude to occur...”

Lucifer(Satan) growled in anger, throwing his hands in the air.

“So that’s what this is really about. Saving face in front of Diavolo.”

“It doesn’t matter what this is about, Satan,” Satan(Lucifer) argued, still sounding tired, but forcing a commanding tone into his voice. “Until we return to normal, we must remain with one another whenever possible. Have I made myself clear?”

“No way! Not going to happen. Hard pass, Lucifer!”

The long, exhausted sigh Satan(Lucifer) let out lasted for a good minute. When it ended, he stood up and faced his possessed body.

“Look, I’m not fond of the idea myself, but we don’t have any other choice. I need to keep an eye on you to make sure you don’t take advantage of your presence in my body. I won’t let you go about causing trouble and ruining my standing in RAD, or with Diavolo. So protest all you like, but this is how it’s going to be. You will be by my side _at all times._ **_Understood?_ **”

“I said, no!” Lucifer(Satan) snapped. “So **_forget it_ **, Lucifer!”

“In case you’ve forgotten, Satan, _I_ looked like _you_ as well...”

That just got a wordless growl out of Lucifer(Satan), but he silently acquiesced.

“Well, with that settled, we have another problem,” I pointed out. “Sleeping arrangements. If you two are stuck together, then you’ll have to sleep together.”

“I am not sleeping in Lucifer’s room!” Lucifer(Satan) exclaimed. “Stuck together or not, I utterly **_REFUSE!!_ **”

“Unfortunately, your room is completely full of books, and there’s hardly any space for you to sleep, much less the two of us together,” Satan(Lucifer) pointed out.

“If you feed me, you can use my room,” Beel offered. “It has two beds, and plenty of room.”

“And risk being eaten when you go wandering around at night and taking a bite out of us?” Lucifer(Satan) snorted. “No thank you.”

“Well, I’m _not_ letting you use my room,” Levi declared, crossing his arms. “I’ve got too many priceless figurines and super-rare posters in there.”

“Levi, after the fuss you kicked up about the retreat, no one will be taking your room,” I told him, getting a sinking feeling in my stomach. “That, and you sleep in a frikken bathtub.”

“Fine then,” Mammon declared, grinning widely. “Guess I ain’t got a choice. If you both pay me a proper sum for each and every night you spend, then you can stay in my-”

“Mammon, shut up,” I commanded, happily noting how his mouth snapped shut and his words died in his throat. “Your room stinks of instant noodles and old pizza anyway. No one aside from you would ever want to sleep there.”

“What about your room, Asmo?” Lucifer(Satan) requested.

“Pass,” Asmo insisted. “I mean, we’re talking about my castle, and every inch of it is dedicated to ensuring I always look beautiful. I’m afraid that’s just the way it is.”

I let out a groan that rivaled Satan(Lucifer)’s earlier one, running my fingers through my hair before leaning against the wall. With a great deal of reluctance, I held up a hand.

“Use mine… ”

Mammon’s eyes went wide and he began trying desperately to talk. He waved his arms in clear protest, but we all just ignored him. The two swapped demons exchanged looks, then nodded, seemingly pleased with the compromised. Silently, I kissed any chance of getting a restful night of sleep goodbye for the foreseeable future, then escorted my new roommates up to my room.

…

Sometime later, my room was full to the brim with demonic visitors. Both of the switched demons, as well as Asmo and Mammon. We were all sitting around my room, the air serious as Satan(Lucifer) addressed us all.

“Well then, I’m going to go ahead and call this meeting to order. We’ll be discussing how things are going to work now that Satan and I have switched bodies.”

“Um, wait a minute,” Mammon requested, having regained his voice (reluctantly on my part), while raising his hand. “This is Satan talking, meaning it’s Lucifer inside. So then… it’s _Lucifer_ speaking.” He groaned, rubbing his face. “Man, this is complicated. And annoyin’.”

“Couldn’t have put it better myself,” I commented, just physically and emotionally drained after the roller coaster that was today.

“I hate looking at Lucifer, and I hate listening to him speak...” Lucifer(Satan) growled. “But even when it’s _me_ I’m looking at, it still irritates me to hear him speak.”

“Oh, but you’re saying that it’s a little better now that he looks different?” Asmo questioned, genuinely curious.

I flopped face first onto my bed, burying my face in my pillow and just groaning. Satan(Lucifer) seemed to share my annoyance, for he turned to Asmo and Mammon, giving them both exasperated looks.

“While Belle’s presence makes sense, given that this is her room, what exactly are you two doing here?”

That seemed to catch Mammon offguard, the greedy demon tripping over his words as he struggled to form a sentence.

“Uh… well, ya see… the thing is, um...”

“‘Why do _you_ two get to be in this room, watchin; Belle change and sleep, even first thing in the mornin’ when I don’t?!’” Asmo quoted, doing a surprisingly good imitation of Mammon’s voice with a shit eating grin on his face. “‘It ain’t fair. I’m jealous as hell, and I wanna be in on tis too, dammit!’” He dropped the voice and turned to Mammon, the smile never fading. “Is that what you’re getting at?”

“Stop impersonating me!” Mammon shouted, turning red in the face. “Why is everyone doing that today?!”

“That explains Mammon,” Satan(Lucifer) interjected, still sounding so unbearably tired, “but I’ve yet to hear a reason for your presence, Asmo.”

“Me?” Asmo said, gesturing to himself demurely. “I’m only here because this looked like it could become interesting.”

Satan(Lucifer) pinched the bridge of his nose and groaned.

“Fine, whatever. Let’s just continue with our conversation.” He cleared his throat and straightened up. “There are two fundamental rules that must be adhered to: First, neither of us is allowed to go into each other’s room unless the other is present as well. Second, we are to avoid doing anything that might attract attention while at school.”

“You _would_ say that, Lucifer,” Lucifer(Satan) sneered, a condescending grin on his stolen face. “All you ever care about is appearances.”

A cold snarl overtook Satan(Lucifer)’s face.

“Did you say something?”

The grin fell as Lucifer(Satan) crossed his arms and pointedly looked away.

“No… So long story short, we avoid getting caught, and there’ll be no problems, right?”

Satan(Lucifer) just silently growled, turning away as well. Asmo looked between the two demons, an excited gleam in his eyes. I curled up under my covers, just knowing something was about to explode.

“So, does that mean the meeting’s over?” Asmo questioned, taking the silence he received as an affirmative. “Perfect! Lucifer, want to take a bath with me?”

Both of the flip flopped demons turned to Asmo, looking stunned and angry.

“Excuse me?” Satan(Lucifer) growled.

“Right, my bad,” Asmo apologized, not sounding even slightly apologetic. “I meant Lucifer’s body.”

“Me?” Lucifer(Satan) questioned, more stunned then anything.

“Yep,” Asmo giggled, sliding across the floor until he was leaning right up against Lucifer(Satan)’s arm, a pair of fingers teasingly walking up the trapped appendage. “I’ve always wanted to get a look at Lucifer au na-tu-rel. I mean, the real Lucifer in his _own_ body is the ultimate dream, really. But even if it’s only Satan in Lucifer’s body, we could still-”

Before he could go anymore into detail, Satan(Lucifer) grabbed Asmo by his scarf and pulled him back, dislodging him from his possessed body. The look on his face was downright murderous.

“Absolutely not.”

“What?” Asmo questioned, freeing his scarf before artfully arranging it once more. “Why not? I mean, what’s the harm? It’s just your body! Ugh, you’re so stingy...”

“Speaking of baths,” Mammon piped up, “what are you supposed to do when ya have to go to the bathroom and st-?”

“ ** _Mammon!!_** ” Satan(Lucifer) growled.

“Oh boy, now you’ve done it, Mammon,” I let out, rolling over and waiting for the inevitable. “There goes my bedroom… again.”

However, nothing happened. While Mammon did initially flinch at Satan(Lucifer)’s tone, he stopped after a moment, looking confused. Satan(Lucifer) looked similarly confused, exchanging looks with his brother. After a few seconds, I rolled back over, now sharing in the encompassing confusion.

“Okay, what gives? Isn’t this usually where someone would be cowering on the carpet?”

“I know, right?” Mammon agreed. “What’s going on here? I know it’s Lucifer in there, but now that he’s in Satan’s body, that totally doesn’t have the same impact! I mean, it doesn’t even hurt!” A mischievous grin began to form on his face. “In fact, I feel like I can even stand up to him right now!”

“Well, while he’s stuck in Satan’s body, you’re technically stronger than him,” I rationalized.

Dawning horror hit Satan(Lucifer) like a freight train as Mammon was practically glowing from happiness and excitement.

“I am, aren’t I?! I outrank Lucifer while he’s in Satan!”

“...unfortunately,” Satan(Lucifer) let out, his face grim with the prospect.

Mammon started cackling, slapping his knee and utterly beaming with excitement.

“So, does this mean that the Great Mammon is the most powerful of all now?! That no one’s left to stand in my way?!” He snorted, jumping to his feet and lording over Satan(Lucifer) cockily. “I ain’t afraid o’ no Lucifer!”

Asmo, who had been sitting there watching his second eldest brother’s antics with mild amusement, gave the greedy demon a tug on his sleeve.

“Um, you _do_ realize that it’s only a matter of time before they return to their old bodies, right?”

“Exactly,” I piped up, pointing right at Asmo. “And when they do, do you honestly think Lucifer will let what you just said slide?”

Never had I seen Mammon deflate as fast as he did in that moment. He let out a thready whimper, dropping back to the ground while shrinking into himself. Asmo shook his head, sighing.

“You really _are_ a moron...”


	19. The Boiling Point

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things only seem to get worse for Belle as Lucifer and Satan continue to fight

The day after Lucifer and Satan’s switch, things were incredibly hectic. Both demons had tried to put on their normal uniform variations, only to be reminded that they were different demons, and thus were different sizes now. Satan(Lucifer) had spent a good hour arranging and rearranging Lucifer(Satan)’s uniform until it had the usual perfection he displayed in his own body. Lucifer(Satan) had been less than cooperative while getting ready, and all three of us had almost been late.

Unfortunately, that was only the beginning. At school, the two flip flopped demons remained in close proximity to one another as agreed, but Lucifer(Satan) and Mammon seemed to be doing a lot of side-eying one another, as well as muttering to each other under their breath. I did my best to ignore it, wanting to just get through this ordeal with as little fuss as possible. This was made nigh impossible when Satan(Lucifer) grabbed me in between classes and pulled me close to him.

“Isabella,” he said, “I think you know this, but I don’t trust those two one bit. Satan and Mammon both think this whole situation is funny, and it’s possible that they might do something outrageous for comical effect.”

“Oh I can all but guarantee it,” I replied. “From what I’ve seen, Satan will do anything if he thinks it will piss you off or make you look bad, and Mammon’s probably just looking to profit from your humiliation.”

“That’s exactly why I want you to keep an eye on them. If it looks like they’re about to try anything they shouldn’t-”

“Ehem,” Mammon let out, tapping both me and Satan(Lucifer) on the shoulder. “You do realize that we’re standin’  _ right here. _ ”

“He  _ wanted _ us to hear him, you dolt,” Lucifer(Satan) informed him.

Thankfully, before anything could escalate, I saw a flash of red coming toward us.

“Diavolo’s coming,” I hissed.

All three demons stiffened as Diavolo came down the stairs towards us, giving all of us his usual warm smile.

“Hello there, Lucifer,” he greeted.

Satan(Lucifer) nearly choked on his tongue, swallowing the greeting that he nearly returned on instinct. When Lucifer(Satan) didn’t respond with the usual calm greeting he was used to, Diavolo’s face grew a bit more serious. He crossed his arms and looked at Lucifer(Satan) with concern in his golden eyes.

“So, what happened this morning? You always stop by the assembly hall first thing in the morning, but you weren’t there today.”

I will admit, I swallowed hard, just knowing something was about to happen. Satan(Lucifer) seemed to share my dread, for he quickly and quietly hissed at his possessed body.

“Satan… you know what to do, right?”

“Yeah, yeah,” Lucifer(Satan) hissed right back. “I think I can handle being a convincing you.” His face then brightened into a big smile that looked so alien on Lucifer’s face, and I felt my heart plummet into my stomach as he opened his mouth. “Hello, hello, hello, Diavolo! I’m  _ so _ happy to see you! You’re all I ever think about, honey. I dreamed about you again last night, and then I ended up oversleeping, which is why I wasn’t at the assembly hall.”

Mammon let out a noise that almost sounded like a strangled cat. He was covering his mouth with his hand and trying so hard not to laugh. He was visibly shaking from the effort, leaning against the wall as more barely concealed noises escaped his fingers. On the opposite end of the spectrum was Satan(Lucifer), who looked like he was ready to disembowel his own body. Rage was literally radiating off of him in waves, and I actually recoiled at it. As for me, I was just desperately looking for any means of escape from what I could only assume would soon become a viscous murder scene. Unfortunately, Lucifer(Satan) was  **_far_ ** from done with his little show. He turned to Diavolo, looking upon the Future Demon King with mock concern.

“Diavolo, is it just me, or do you look tense? Want me to give you a nice shoulder massage? How about your arms? Maybe your legs too? If you’re feeling tired, you just let me know, okay?”

Mammon was on the ground now, looking like he was having a seizure. I glanced over at Satan(Lucifer), half expecting to see him launching at his body with untold fury. Instead, some of the rage seemed to be giving way to mild concern. He turned to me, and in a quiet voice, whispered a question.

“Isabella, I’m not actually like that, am I? I can’t honestly be  _ that _ bad.”

“I mean… you do seem to put a lot of emphasis on Diavolo and what he wants...” I hesitantly replied. “Not as bad as that, but… kinda?”

Thankfully, Diavolo seemed completely and utterly oblivious to the scene devolving around him. He didn’t acknowledge Mammon’s breakdown, or my private conversation with Satan(Lucifer). Instead, he seemed to genuinely take what Lucifer(Satan) said into consideration.

“I don’t feel tense at all, or tired for that matter.” He then cracked a smile. “So Satan, how exactly did you end up in Lucifer’s body?”

You could have heard a pin drop. Even Mammon’s fit stopped from the sheer shock of the bombshell that Diavolo had just dropped. We all just stared at the prince, who was smiling as if nothing was wrong.

“Wait… you knew?” I questioned once I finally regained my voice. “I mean, sure Satan laid it on thick but… how did you know it was Satan?”

“I know Lucifer,” Diavolo said simply. “I also know his brothers well enough to know who would put on such a performance.” He then turned to Satan(Lucifer), his smile never waning. “At least this explains your absence in the assembly hall, Lucifer.”

Satan(Lucifer) was stunned, actually taking a step back.

“You… you can tell it’s me?”

“Like I said, I know you, Lucifer. I’ve known you for a very long time. There’s not a chance in the Three Realms I wouldn’t recognize you.”

“Damn,” Lucifer(Satan) cursed through gritted teeth, crossing his arms and turning away.

“So, let’s hear it,” Diavolo commanded. “What happened?”

“To put it simply,” I spoke up, “there was an incident with an enchanted book, one they both touched. It caused them to switch bodies, and this is the result. They had been hoping to keep it under wraps, especially from you, at least until the effects wore off.”

“Guess that’s blown out of the water,” Mammon lamented, kicking his foot like a petulant child. “That seriously sucks...”

“I must admit, I never thought you’d see through the act so quickly,” Satan(Lucifer) spoke up, smiling. “I underestimated you, Diavolo.”

“How long until the effects wear off?” Diavolo questioned.

“A few days,” I answered. “Unfortunately, we can’t get a more specific date then that.”

Diavolo’s serious expression returned, the prince pressing his thumbnail against his bottom lip in contemplation.

“That’s good to hear,” he remarked, though he certainly didn’t sound like it was. “However, I believe Lucifer is scheduled to give a speech to the entire student body the day after tomorrow. Is everything going to be alright with that?”

Satan(Lucifer) tensed again, his eyes becoming the size of dinner plates. Mammon hissed, turning to his brother and giving him a sympathetic pat on the back.

“Sorry, Lucifer. You’re screwed.”

…

After class was released, Satan(Lucifer) and I retreated outside to the RAD garden. Lucifer(Satan) broke off from us, citing a reference book he’d accidentally left behind. He retreated back inside, leaving me and the other possessed demon alone. Satan(Lucifer) was still completely hung up on what Diavolo had told him, and almost immediately plopped onto a bench, burying his face in his hands.

“The speech…” he groaned. “How could I have forgotten?”

“What speech?” I questioned, having heard nothing about a speech, or any big assembly. Granted, I had been particularly busy with everything that had happened in the last few weeks alone.

“I have to give a report to the full student body on the current state of the exchange program, and how all of our exchange students are doing. I’d planned to talk about Diavolo’s plan to achieve harmony between angels, demons, and humans, calling for everyone to understand what he’s trying to accomplish...” Satan(Lucifer) sighed and shook his head. “But if Satan and I are still in each others’ bodies the day after tomorrow,  _ he’ll _ have to give the speech in my place.”

“And after the display he put on for Diavolo, I highly doubt he’ll be cooperative,” I remarked. “He’ll jump on the chance to ruin your reputation for good.”

“Exactly,” Satan(Lucifer) nodded. “Out of all of my brothers, Satan is the one who’s most like me. Normally, I’d think he’d have no trouble handling a task like this. But this time… there’s no telling what he’ll do.” He buried his face again. “What do I do? I mean, I can’t very well go up there and give the speech in this body.”

“Maybe...” I hesitated, then let out a long breath. “Maybe you should try and work things out with Satan. Talk to one another and see if you can’t at least come to some sort of compromise. I’m not saying you’ll solve all your problems, but maybe a civil conversation could at least stop him from actively sabotaging you.”

Satan(Lucifer) lifted his head, meeting my eye.

“Are you certain that’s wise?”

“Positive,” I nodded. “You said it yourself, you’re both surprisingly alike. If you spoke to him about this, maybe he’ll understand where you’re coming from. You’ll never know until you try.”

After a brief moment, Satan(Lucifer) straightened, giving a small nod.

“You’re right. I can’t simply decide that there’s no way for us to understand each other. All I have to do is make an honest effort to attempt to reach common ground.” At that moment, he seemed to notice just how much time had passed. “Isabella, I- I mean, Satan, has not returned from the classroom. There’s no way it’s taking him this long to reclaim a forgotten textbook.”

“Uh oh...” I let out, a feeling of dread washing over me. “We better go find him.”

“Agreed,” Satan(Lucifer) nodded, grabbing my hand and leading me off.

…

As it turned out, Lucifer(Satan) had been intercepted by both Levi and Beel not long after reclaiming his textbook (which he actually had left behind surprisingly enough). They’d brought him back home, and by the time we found them, Lucifer(Satan) was in the midst of doing various impressions of the eldest brother. Powerless to stop his possessed body, Satan(Lucifer) could only watch in dismay. At the moment, all five of us were in my room. I’m not sure when my room just became the designated meeting place for demonic shenanigans, but here we were. I’d just returned from the bathroom after changing into my casual clothes, where Levi and Beel were urging Lucifer(Satan) to have some fun.

“Your impressions are good, but I’m kinda bored of them,” Levi remarked, laying on his stomach on my rug while playing one of the many games he had on his D.D.D.

“You should try saying something the real Lucifer would never say,” Beel suggested, munching on some popcorn.

“Oh this oughta be good,” I deadpanned, sitting down on my bed and snagging some of Beel’s popcorn.

Lucifer(Satan) mulled over it for a moment, then he snapped his fingers as an idea came to him. He put on the most exaggerated, lovesick puppy dog eyes I’ve ever seen, clasping his hands together.

“I’m in love with Ruri-chan! She’s my baby!” 

He then proceeded to squeal like a crazed teenager. Levi broke down into laughter as Beel let out a snort, nearly choking on his popcorn. I’ll admit, I nearly did the same, but seeing Satan(Lucifer)’s crestfallen face made me lose my sense of humor. I scootched over towards him, giving him a concerned look.

“Hey,” I told him. “Don’t let them get to you.”

“That’s a bit too much to ask when they’re right here, pulling this shenanigans in the same room as me,” he lamented.

“And being the Avatar of Pride probably isn’t helping,” I added.

Satan(Lucifer) shook his head, then turned to Levi and Beel.

“Anyway, what are you two doing here in Belle’s room?” he demanded.

“Well, Lucifer said-” Beel paused, shaking his head. “I mean Satan said that if I hung out here and made a bunch of noise, he’d give me treats.”

“At least that explains where you got the popcorn,” I commented. “What about you, Levi? Did Satan bribe you to come harass Lucifer too?”

“Just bored, Levi is,” Levi answered in his Yoda impression. “Only reason for being here, mhm. Yes, the only reason it is.”

I crossed my arms and cocked an eyebrow. That was all it took for Levi to cave.

“Actually, the truth is that there’s this new game that was released, and I’m waiting for Akuzon to deliver it. I’m so excited, it’s crazy.”

“Well, at least one of you isn’t here for the sole purpose of making my life unbearable...” Satan(Lucifer) grumbled.

Lucifer(Satan) just glared at Beel, no doubt angry that the gluttonous demon sold him out without even a second thought. Beel just ignored the angry glares, glancing around my room curiously.

“You know, I just noticed that Mammon isn’t here,” he commented.

“Huh,” I let out, taking note of the exact same thing. “That’s weird. He’s been camping out in here pretty much nonstop since we got back from the retreat.”

The two flip flopped demons both exchanged looks, a silent argument passing through them. Their expressions were grim, and it was clear that Mammon was the subject of a rather nasty spat between the two. Seeing the animosity between the two of them, I turned to Levi.

“Okay… did I miss something?”

“Well...” Levi let out, scootching closer and whispering loudly towards me. “I heard that Mammon and Satan hatched a plan last night to have a party with a bunch of succubi, taking advantage of the fact that Satan is in Lucifer’s body.”

I groaned, pinching the bridge of my nose.

“What happened...”

“Lucifer found out their plans and told them they couldn’t go. Asmo ended up going in their place. He seemed pretty happy about it.”

“Considering the alternative, letting Asmo go out partying was the less destructive option,” Satan(Lucifer) remarked, shaking his head. “Unfortunately, even with my intervention with the part, Mammon is still taking advantage of my… current state… to run rampant, doing whatever he wants.”

“You mean like how he went and brought the head of the RAD Newspaper Club to Satan after class?” Beel questioned.

“Wait, is THAT why he was so late getting his textbook?” I asked.

“Beel...” Lucifer(Satan) snarled like some sort of feral cat. “Shut. Up.”

“Yep,” Levi answered, basically ignoring the threat. “Satan pretended to be Lucifer and said that he’d increase funding for their club next year in exchange for a  _ bribe! _ ” 

There was a dead silence, rage radiating not just from Lucifer’s body, but Satan’s as well. Satan(Lucifer) rose to his feet, turning to Beel with a cold, emotionless expression.

“Beel,” he commanded, making the gluttonous demon straighten instinctively. “I want you to go find Mammon and string him up for me. Hang him upside down.”

“Me?” Beel questioned, pointing at himself and looking nervous and upset at the suggestion. “Um… I understand that you can’t boss Mammon around right now since you’re in Satan’s body, but still-”

“I’ll give you a hundred dozen Uncle Demon’s donuts as a reward for doing this,” Satan(Lucifer) offered without even a moment of hesitation.

“Deal!”

Beel hopped to his feet, dumping the last of his popcorn into his mouth, ate the carton for good measure, then took off out of my room. We all watched him go, then Lucifer(Satan) glanced at his possessed body with a smug smirk.

“So, you’re going to hang Mammon upside down, huh? Okay then. What about me? I know you want to punish me, but surely you can’t hang your own body upside down now, can you Lucifer?”

“Don’t be so smug, Satan,” Satan(Lucifer) warned.

“I’m  _ Lucifer, _ not Satan,” Lucifer(Satan) sneered. “And you really should be more respectful towards your older brother, you know.”

“Oh brother...” I groaned, falling back on my bed. “I can’t believe I’m about to say this, but I think this entire ordeal has made their fighting even  _ worse... _ ”

“Maybe so, but it’s pretty funny,” Levi remarked, kicking his feet in the air idly.

...

Unfortunately for me, things didn’t get much better after that. As nighttime rolled around, the two flip flopped demons were  _ still _ arguing like there was no tomorrow. At the moment, the topic up for debate was the use of my bed.

“Right now,  _ I’m _ the oldest,” Lucifer(Satan) declared. “Naturally, I get to use the bed.”

“Wrong,” Satan(Lucifer) retorted. “ _ I’m _ Lucifer, not you. So, I’ll be using the bed, of course. You can sleep on the floor.”

“I’m taking the bed.”

“No you’re not,  _ I _ am.”

“Ugh...” I groaned. “This is giving me a headache. It’s my bed, so I should be the one to sleep in the bed.”

“But I-” both tried to argue before I cut them off.

“No, it’s my room, and my bed. Both of you can sleep on the floor like you did last night.” I turned off the lights, climbed into my bed, and threw the covers over my head. “Now with you go to sleep for the love of-” I stopped, then just groaned again. “Just go to sleep!”

There was a moment of silence, then I could thankfully see the two demons crawling into the sleeping bags they had been using last night. I rolled over so my back was to them, just praying that this ordeal would soon be over.

...

I had hoped that this would be the end of the bickering for the night, but I was soon proven wrong. Both Lucifer and Satan talked in their sleep, the former cursing his brother and swearing vengeance on him while the latter continued his power-mad rant.

“I’ll make you… pay for this… satan… when I’m back in… my own body...” Satan(Lucifer) muttered in between snores.

“I’m- I’m Lucifer...” Lucifer(Satan) sleepily declared. “All you demons… kneel before me...”

I tried burying myself in my covers and even throwing my pillow over my head, but nothing I did could drown out the two demons sleeping on my floor. Soon, I just threw my covers off and just got out of bed. I tiptoed around the two, then made my way out into the hall. I closed the door, yawning wide before trying to figure out what the heck I was gonna do. I contemplated seeing if I could crash in Beel’s room, then I heard a noise from further down the hallway. It sounded like crying, very pathetic crying. Curious, I began to follow the noise.

I eventually found the source in the stairwell, where Mammon was hanging from one of the banisters. He was tied up very efficiently, making him look like a larva trapped in a cocoon of rope.

“Mammon?” I called out sleepily.

With a sniff, Mammon wriggled himself until he was looking down at me, tears dripping down his face.

“Belle! Please, you gotta help me! Lucifer made Beel string me up and-”

“I know, I know,” I interjected. “I was there when he promised Beel a hundred dozen donuts to do it. Although, I distinctly remember him asking for you to be hung upside down, and you are very much right side up.”

“I bribed him with some gum to not do the upside down bit...” Mammon made a show of wriggling in his cocoon, trying to break free. Unfortunately, the ropes didn’t even budge. “Even so, he’s too damn strong. These ropes are so tight that I can’t manage to break free no matter how hard I try… Please help me...”

“Not a chance,” I shot down. “Not only would Lucifer kill me once he’s back to normal, but you clearly haven’t learned your lesson. You shouldn’t toy with Lucifer like that, and you really shouldn’t try and make him look bad. He’s the Avatar of Pride after all, and your jokes are just going too far.”

“I have learned my lesson!” Mammon sobbed. “I’ll never do it again, I swear! So please, just let me down! If you don’t, I’ll be hanging here for the next 500 years! And that’s if I’m lucky!”

I sighed.

“Well, that does seem a bit excessive...” I mulled it over for a bit, then smirked as an idea hit me. “Alright. I’ll let you down. BUT, in exchange, you have to help me convince Satan and Lucifer to make nice.”

Mammon stopped squirming, looking down at me like I was insane. I probably was, given the literal centuries of fighting and hatred I was trying to resolve, but something had to be done before this entire family ended up tearing itself apart.

“Belle, listen to me. I don’t know what you’re trying to accomplish, but Satan and Lucifer have been at each other’s throats from the beginning. I mean, I guess you could say it’s only Satan that hates Lucifer, but it’s like...” Mammon paused for a minute, trying to find the right words. “Like Lucifer doesn’t give a flip about how Satan feels, which makes Satan even angier, so-”

“So that’s a no.” I turn on my heels and prepare to walk away. “See you in 500 years, I guess.”

“Wait!” Mammon cried out, redoubling his efforts to get free of his ropes. “Don’t leave! I’ll help you! I’ll do it! I promise! Just get me  _ down from here! _ ”

I smirked, looking at the distance between Mammon and the ground. I then stepped back, and covered my ears.

“Mammon, stay!”

The pact activated, a golden glow appearing amidst his rope prison. The rope holding him snapped, and he fell hard. He screamed as he did, then came crashing down hard onto the floor below. I then made my way down the stairs to where Mammon had fallen, and began untying him.

“Did you have to get me down like that?” Mammon groaned. “That really hurt.”

“Even if I did release you from the banister some other way, you still would have dropped. This was just faster. Now hold still. These knots are tricky.”

Mammon grumbled, but laid there as I worked on the knots holding him. After several minutes, and more than a few muttered curses on my part, I finally managed to fully free the greedy demon. He got up and stretched, smiling widely as he enjoyed his newly regained freedom.

“Aaaah,” he sighed in contentment. “My feet are back on the floor where they belong. Excellent.”

“Don’t go forgetting your promise now,” I warned. “Otherwise, I’ll just call Beel and have him put you back on the banister.”

“Whoa, whoa,” Mammon insisted, holding up his hands. “Ease up there, Belle. I ain’t forgotten. No need to threaten me like that. I said I’d help ya get them ta make up, and I’m a demon of my word.”

I nearly choked on a laugh, knowing that was the farthest thing from the case, but Mammon didn’t seem to notice. He seemed to contemplate my dilemma, giving it some genuine thought.

“Alright, let’s see now...” he snapped his fingers, then grinned. “I got it! I have the perfect idea! I’m a genius!”

I looked at Mammon, taking note of his excited face. I felt my stomach churn a bit, and I winced with growing dread.

“I’ve got a very,  _ very, _ bad feeling about this...”


	20. The Dating Sim

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> To try and get Satan and Lucifer to get along, Belle, Mammon, and Levi pull the two into a videogame. It has... mixed results.

I was weary of Mammon’s plans pretty much immediately after he said he had one. However, I was not prepared for when he led me right up to Leviathan’s door. He began pounding on the door heavily as I just watched incredulously.

“Mammon… how can Levi help us get Satan and Lucifer to make nice?” I questioned.

“Not Levi, something he has.” Mammon began pounding harder. “Levi, open up you damn Otaku!”

“I’m busy!” Levi shouted back.

“Levi, please!” I called out. “Mammon won’t stop until he gets in, and frankly, I’m kinda tired of bickering right now!”

Mammon backed away from the door for a brief moment, then Levi slowly opened it a crack. Mammon gave him a wave, grinning the way he does when he’s about to lie through his teeth, or pull a long con.

“Hey Levi, that new game of yours come in yet? That dating sim one?”

“You mean Doji ⭐Maji⭐Memoriam?” Levi answered. “It did, actually. I was just about to get it out of its akuzon-”

“Perfect!”

Mammon shoved the door open, pushing his way into Levi’s room. He began scanning the room for an akuzon box, and when he found it, he rushed over to it. Levi yelped and went to try and intercept him while I just groaned and stepped in myself. I closed the door as Mammon ripped the box open, plucking a videogame case from it.

“Ta-da!” Mammon proudly proclaimed. “Here it is! The answer to all our problems! Doji ⭐Maji⭐Memoriam, or just Doji Maji for short!”

I took the case, looking it over. It looked just just about every anime dating sim I’d ever seen, with a pink haired female protagonist on the cover in the stereotypical school girl sailor outfit. The only things that made this game stand out was that it was for something called a Gehenna station, and the protagonist had two bat wings coming out of her head.

“Gehenna station...” I remarked. “Isn’t that some place in Jerusalem or something?”

“It’s a cursed land where the old kings of Judah would sacrifice their children to fire,” Levi explained, taking the game from me. “It’s considered hell on earth, though in this case, it’s just the name of the company who makes video games.”

I gave a small nod.

“Right. Now the more pertinent question. How the heck is a dating sim supposed to make Satan and Lucifer make up.”

Levi looked confused by what I was saying, but Mammon quickly interjected before he could voice his concerns.

“Belle, belle, belle, don’t you remember where you are? Or who you’re talking to? We’re demons, and everything we have is magical in nature, including Levi’s videogames. In this case, you register yourself as a character, then actually go into the game! Once you’re there, everything is as real as it is here in the real world!”

“So, it’s like Jumanji in that new adaptation?” I questioned.

“Basically, yeah,” Mammon nodded. “The only way to leave is to win the game, otherwise, you'll be stuck.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Levi insisted. “Back up. What’s all this about making Satan and Lucifer make up? Are you both insane?”

“No, but I will be if this continues,” I muttered. “They’ll never be able to have a civil conversation if we don’t intervene, so here we are.”

Levi sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“Alright… alright. So what exactly do you plan to do with my game, Mammon?”

“Simple,” Mammon replied. “If I register them in the game client, they’ll be pulled inside the game world, right? Since this is Satan and Lucifer we’re talkin’ about, they’ll be moanin and groanin about it at first, but here’s the thing. Like I said before, you’ve gotta win the game in order to leave.”

“Meaning they’ll have to work together in order to win and go home,” I realized.

“Exactly!” Mammon cheered, throwing his hands in the air. “They may hate each other, but that’ll force em to bond some. It may not fix all their issues, but it’ll give em some common ground and make them actually get along for a bit.”

“That...” Levi trailed off, thinking it over. “That could actually work...”

“I know, right?!” Mammon declared. “I’m a for-real genius!”

“Don’t ruin this, Mammon,” I deadpanned, turning to Levi. “So, can you set up a game for them? Please Levi?”

“Wait, why are you asking Levi?” Mammon questioned. “Why not just use your pact to make him do it?! You use your pact on me all the time!”

“Because you force me to go to such measures,” I told him bluntly. “Levi, however, has done nothing of the sort.”

Levi stuck his tongue out, showing that it was serpentine in appearance. I noted that down in the back of my head as Levi booted up the game on his Gehenna Station. The cheery dating sim music began playing, the anime girl coming on screen with a cheery wave and giggle. I’ll admit, I rolled my eyes at it, having never really been a fan of those cheesy dating sims. If I had my way, dating sims would have more to the plot then just trying to land a date.

“Alright, time to register Lucifer and Satan.” Levi glanced over at me curiously. “Think I should give them any nicknames?”

“Do you enjoy breathing?” I retorted.

“Right… Normal names it is.” He registered them, then began adding three more names to the registry. “Now, adding myself, Mammon, and you, Belle.”

“Wait, what?” Both Mammon and I let out.

“No one said anything about us playing!” I exclaimed. “I don’t even like dating sims!”

“Of course you two are playing!” Levi insisted. “This was your idea after all. Besides, someone’s gonna have to keep an eye on Lucifer and Satan while they’re in here, make sure they play by the rules. And I just know if you’re gonna play, Mammon’s gonna bitch and moan until I say yes and add him to the game.”

“Hey!” Mammon snapped. “I do not bitch and moan! I don’t!”

“He says as he bitches and moans,” I groaned, sighing and sitting down. “Fine. But try to keep the nickname you give me toned down please? I’ve got enough of the nickname game from Asmo.”

“Of course,” Levi nodded. “I’ll put myself as Leviachan, and Belle will be herself. Why change perfection after all.” 

I rolled my eyes, chuckling a bit as Levi continued his work.

“Now for Mammon… Stupidmammon will work.”

“What?!” Mammon howled, eyes going wide. “Why the hell are you calling me that! Delete that right now! I’m not stupid! I’m the Great Mammon!”

“Now to adjust a few settings...” Levi said softly, ignoring Mammon’s rant. “And now, it’s time to play! Time to enter the world of Doji Maji!”

He hit the play button, and suddenly, everything went white.

…

When the lights finally faded away, I blinked spots out of my vision. Even as I did, everything was still so insanely bright. I shielded my eyes for a moment until they adjusted, and I realized why it was so bright. For the first time in a month or two, I was seeing honest to God sunlight. It was filtering through the window of a large classroom, one that was empty save for myself, and two familiar faces.

Both of my companions were seated in desks in the back row, with me sitting in the infamous corner seat by the window. Both were dressed in uniforms that were vastly different from the strict RAD ones. Stupidmammon (why did I automatically call him that, even in my head?) had a yellow t-shirt under a japanese uniform coat, a crest on the lapel and the collar flared out. Leviachan (Again with the automatic use of his game name…) had on an actual uniform, though his coat was unbuttoned, and an orange tie was loosely hanging around his neck. His headphones were now actually sitting on his ears, though he did pull them down as he looked around, grinning from ear to ear.

They both looked so different from how they usually did, and if I didn’t know better, I’d say they were actual humans. I then realized I too had probably changed my outfit and looked down at myself. I was wearing a brown sweater with sleeves that almost covered my hands over a white collared shirt, a black, thick bow at my throat. I had a black, plaid skirt on, knee-high white socks, and black penny loafers.

“Well, not as bad as I thought,” I remarked, gasping when a large white box appeared in front of me. “Hey! Check it out! I have a text box!”

“Of course you do,” Leviachan replied, a box of his own appearing in front of him. “That’s how we communicate here.”

“HEY!” Stupidmammon snapped, the words shaking in his textbox as he angrily pointed at the name tag at the top of this. “Look at this! You kept that insult on my name, and now I’m stuck with ‘Stupidmammon’ for the game!”

“LMAOOOOO XDDDD!” Leviachan replied, grinning from ear to ear.

Three dots appeared in my textbox as I just stared at Levi.

“How did you manage to say that?”

“Trade secret, Belle,” he replied.

“Ugh...” Stupidmammon groaned. “This isn’t fair! You got the cute nickname, but I’m gonna get insulted every time someone addresses me! Not cool, Leviachan. Not cool!”

“Really?” I quipped. “I thought you’d be used to it by now.”

“Lololol!” Leviachan laughed as Stupidmammon turned beet red.

“Whatever...” he growled after a minute. “Where are we anyway? Is this supposed to be a school? It doesn’t look like RAD.”

“My guess is that Doji Maji takes place in the human world,” I replied. “Considering it’s an anime game, this school is based on a traditional Japanese school, hence our uniforms.”

“Ding, ding, ding!” Leviachan said, imitating a bell. “You got it right, Belle! Now, let’s go over the rules. One character is designated as the heroine, and you have to work hard to increase your favorability score with her higher and higher. Then, in the end, you go up onto the Roof of Legend and profess your love to her. If she accepts, you win!”

“Wait, hold up,” I insisted, lifting a hand. “Roof of Legend?”

“Oh yeah! You didn’t read the game description like I did. Supposedly, if you admit you love someone up there on graduation day and become an official couple, then you’ll live happily ever after together.”

“The roof?” Stupidmammon questioned. “ _ That’s _ the big romantic spot in this game? I thought you were supposed to tell her you love her under a big old tree in the schoolyard! That’s how I heard it was supposed to go!”

“I think you’re talking about Yandere Simulator,” I spoke up. “Personally, I’m  _ seriously _ glad we’re not in that game. The heroine would be surrounded by a ton of crazed stalkers who kill whomever tries to keep them from their Senpai.”

“Ooh, that sounds like a fun game,” Leviachan commented, to which I gave him a concerned look. He cleared his throat and got back on track. “But Doji Maji is not like that. Just a normal simulator.”

“That’s a relief,” Stupidmammon commented. “So who’s the heroine we have to impress?”

“Oh, that would be Belle. I programmed her as the heroine before we started the game”

There were dot trios in both mine and Stupidmammon’s text boxes. Then both started shaking as our text turned red.

“YOU DID  **_WHAT?!_ ** ”

“You two...” Lucifer’s voice suddenly called from the doorway. “So  _ you’re _ the ones behind this.”

All three of us turned to see Lucifer coming into the room, his own text box in front of him. He was wearing a uniform like Leviachan’s, but his jacket open, a long red tie around his neck and hanging over a tan sweater vest the same shade as mine. His arms were crossed, and his eyes were utterly cold. We were all incredibly nervous, then Stupidmammon perked.

“Wait a minute… Right now, Satan’s inside Lucifer, so this isn’t Lucifer, it’s Satan!” He got a bit angry, then approached his brother. “What’s the big idea startlin’ me like that! Step off, Satan! Get Lucifer’s supid face outta my personal space!” he began making shooing motions with his hands. “Go on! Git!”

“Actually...” Satan’s voice called as he entered the room, wearing his uniform on properly, complete with a dark green tie and a neatly buttoned jacket with the school’s logo. “I’m Satan. We switched back to our own bodies when we ended up here.”

The text in Stupidmammon’s box shrunk to about half size as he let out a whimper.

“You what?” 

“That makes sense, honestly,” Leviachan piped up. “The game would nullify their curse, so the registration process would be accurate.”

Very slowly, Stupidmammon turned to face Lucifer, who was grinning maliciously. An evil chuckle escaped his lips as he looked down at the greedy demon.

“So, Stupidmammon, what was that you said about  _ my stupid face _ ?”

Stupidmammon let out a sound that was akin to a kicked puppy, shrinking deeper into his desk.

“Looks like he’s really living up to the name you gave him, Leviachan,” I told the envious demon.

“Yep! He never fails to disappoint in that aspect!”

“Now then,” Lucifer interjected, making both me and Leviachan straighten up in our seats, “how about you all explain to me  _ exactly _ what is going on here.”

…

We all ventured out of the faux classroom, making our way towards the school courtyard. As we approached a set of benches, Leviachan, Stupidmammon and I all explained what was going on. Once we finished our tale, Lucifer sighed and sat down on one of the benches.

“Let me see if I have this straight,” he voiced, sounding annoyed. “We’re inside the world of a game that Leviachan bought on Akuzon...”

“One that has included a feature where we have to call one another by our in game nicknames I’ve noticed,” Satan added. “Which thankfully, not all of us were given.”

“Well, if we did give you nicknames, you’d probably flay us alive,” I spoke up, which got me a nod from both Satan and Lucifer.

“My main concern is the fact that we cannot return to the real world unless we win the game,” Lucifer commented.

“Which we can only do if we confess our love to the heroine up on the Roof of Legend and she accepts,” Satan recalled. “And the heroine is...”

“Me,” I answered, sheepishly raising my hand. “Trust me, I’m not exactly thrilled at the prospect, but Leviachan is the one who programmed the game. So, unfortunately, you guys have to woo me… sorry.”

Lucifer and Satan exchanged looks, glaring at one another. Stupidmammon looked at them, seeing their clear distaste for the situation. A lightbulb seemed to go off in his head and I immediately felt weary of him.

“Yeah, sorry guys,” he told his two angry brothers. “I mean, this is ridiculous and crazy. No way you two want any part of this stupid plan, right?”

“As I recall, this was your plan,” Leviachan pointed out, getting shushed by Stupidmammon.

“Anyways, you just leave things to me, okay?” the greedy demon offered. “I’ll take care of everything! I’ll raise my favorability score with Belle lickety-split, profess my love, and win this game before you even know what hit you!”

I snort, covering my mouth and bending over a bit. Stupidmammon turned to me, glaring coldly.

“What’s so funny, Belle?”

“You?” I sputtered, stifling a few more breathy laughs “Profess your love? A Tsundere like yourself? Like that will ever happen.”

“Shut up!” He shouted, his face a deep crimson hue. “I’ve got this! The rest of my bros don’t have to do a thing! Nope! Nothing at all!”

Behind Stupidmammon, Lucifer and Satan’s angry glares had become a bit more playful and competitive.

“You know what this means, right Lucifer?” Satan proposed. “It’s a  _ competition _ to see which of us can get the happy ending, you or me.”

“That goes without saying,” Lucifer replied. “And I highly doubt I’d actually lose to the likes of you, Satan.”

A feeling of dread washed over me as I sat down on the bench, burying my face in my hands. The plan had completely backfired. They weren’t going to make up or work together. No… they were turning this into a competition, one I was caught in the middle off. And unfortunately for me, Stupidmammon was already involved, and from the look on Leviachan’s face, he wasn’t far behind.

“Pfft! Loooool You guys are hilarious!” Leviachan laughed. “Aren’t you forgetting about someone? You really think you can beat  **_ME_ ** ?! Lolol ROTFLMFAO XDDD”

“HEY!” Stupidmammon exclaimed. “Why do you all wanna win so badly all of a sudden, huh?!”

“Because I  _ won’t _ lose to the likes of him!” Lucifer and Satan snapped, gesturing to one another with their thumbs.

“And I guess I just want to win the game, and have a 100% perfect run,” Leviachan answered. “It’s  _ my _ game after all. I’m not about to let someone  _ else _ experience the very best part of it in my place. That’s like, crazy. Lolol.”

“Well then...” I let out, standing up. “All I ask is that you PLEASE try and consider my feelings when you’re doing your little competition. I’m not some prize to be won, and I’m not some faceless MC, okay? I’m me, got it?”

“Don’t worry Belle,” Satan assured me, resting a hand on my shoulder. “I have no intention of making you fall for me. No, you’re going to fall for me naturally, as a matter of course.”

“Belle is a princess, and will be treated as such,” Leviachan declared, “with dignity and respect!”

“The choice is ultimately yours, Belle,” Lucifer told me. “And I will earn that choice fair and square.”

“Prepare yourself, Belle!” Stupidmammon declared. “I’m gonna tell you I love you, and you’re gonna choose me! It’s totally happening.”

With a sigh, I shook my head, then cleared my throat.

“Alright then… let the games begin.”

…

It’s hard to describe exactly what happened next, but the scenes began changing, mostly centered around me. I would be shifted around the school, placed in various classrooms, often in the middle of lessons. Considering this wasn’t actually school, I didn’t really pay much attention and just kept an eye on my text box in case any options came up. At the moment, I’m pretty sure I’ve been placed in some sort of English class. There’s a teacher up front, but I can only see his nose and mouth. The other students in the class were the same, dull hair colors and generic faces hidden in shadows marking them as unimportant NPCs. The only person in full color was Stupidmammon, who was asleep at his desk.

“...So then, this is a descriptive phrase,” the teacher droned. “As for what it’s describing, you'll find that here in the next paragraph...”

“Oh money baby...” Stupidmammon muttered in his sleep. “I loooooove you...”

“So, I think I’ll have one of you tell me the answer to the next question...” The teacher looked around, then his non-existent eyes locked on my sleeping companion. “Stupidmammon!”

Stupidmammon sat up rather violently, sputtering as he tried to compose himself.

“What is the answer to question number four?” the teacher asked.

“Qu-question… uh, four…? Uh, let’s see...” Stupidmammon grabbed his textbook, standing up and frantically flipping through the pages. “That would be… uh… a uh...”

Two options popped up on my text box, to either help the greedy demon, or leave him floundering. I decided to show him some pity, and chose the first option. The answer popped up on my box and I turned to whisper to Mammon.

“An adjectival clause.”

“An adjectival clause… I think?” Stupidmammon repeated nervously.

“Correct,” the teacher told him. “Were you listening to my lecture in your sleep? Well, you’re a demon of many talents I see. But still, do try to pay attention, and sit back down.”

Stupidmammon dropped down into his seat, letting out a sigh of relief.

“That was close… thanks for the help, Belle. I only survived because of you.”

I blinked, surprised to hear genuine gratitude from the usually tsundere demon. I cracked a small smile as an icon appeared right above him. It showed Mammon’s face, plus a progress bar that began filling up.

“Huh...” I whispered. “I guess that’s how the intimacy scores are kept.”

Mammon seemed oblivious to it, still reveling in his success at getting away with his nap.

…

Later on, I was walking down the hallway. I’ll admit, I was a bit distracted by the sun, having not seen real sunlight in awhile. Even if it was just coding in a game, I couldn’t get over the warm feeling on my skin. Because of this, I wasn’t paying attention, and ended up bumping into someone. I ended up dropping the large stack of textbooks I had been carrying, as well as some miscellaneous papers. As I bent down to pick them up, Satan bent down to help me.

“I had a feeling it was you who bumped into me,” he remarked, saving some papers from being trampled. “You really should watch where you’re going, especially when you’re carrying so much stuff.”

“Sorry, Satan,” I apologized. “Got distracted.”

“Where are you going with all this anyway?”

“They’re teaching materials for the next class,” I explained. “The teacher asked me to bring them, and next thing I knew, here I was.”

“Oh Belle, you’re too nice, running errands for someone like that.” He took about half of the books, a light blush on his cheeks. “Looks like I’m going to have to help you, aren’t I?”

“You don’t have to, Satan. I got this.”

“Nonsense. You shouldn’t have to do this by yourself. Even if you’re capable, this is clearly a two-man job.”

He began walking down the hall towards the classroom and I followed, admittedly grateful for the help. That same icon from before appeared, this one with a picture of Satan on it. The bar increased and I chuckled again. 

“I guess you weren’t kidding about natural progression,” I commented.

Satan glanced up at the icon, then shrugged.

“Eh, it’s nothing. I’m only carrying some stuff for you. Now you can enjoy the sun without ending up in another accident.” His blush deepened a bit. “Besides, every once in a while, it’s okay to ask for help. I’ll gladly lend a hand if you ask.”

The bar ticked up a bit more as we reached the classroom.

...

Lunchtime rolled around in the blink of an eye, quite literally. I was getting hungry, but apparently I had forgotten to bring lunch for myself. That is how I found myself sitting alone in the courtyard. I considered checking to see if this fake school had an open campus policy when Leviachan came over, plopping down right next to me.

“Ta-daa!” he cheered, producing a box wrapped in a red and white checkered cloth and placing it in my lap. “Look what we have here! It’s a special homemade bento box lunch courtesy of Leviachan! Yaaaaay!”

“A bento box?” I asked, looking at the tall box. “You made all this? Seriously?”

“Yep!” He began untying it, revealing that it was actually three smaller boxes stacked on top of one another. “It’s a super extravagant three layer bento box, and it's Ruri-chan themed!”

I looked down at the three boxes, seeing there was sushi, a rolled omelet, some rice, some teriyaki beef, and even a few pot stickers. My mouth watered at the sight of the food and I quickly scooped up the chopsticks.

“Thanks Leviachan.” I picked up the box with the sushi and offered it to him. “Here. I’m not a big fan of sushi, and you need to eat too.”

“Really?” Leviachan asked. “You mean it?”

“Yeah,” I replied. “I mean, you clearly made this for yourself, but you’re giving it to me. That fact you’re willing to share your ruri-chan themed food is just awesome.”

Leviachan beamed, happily taking the sushi and chowing down. I dug into the food myself, watching as his intimacy icon slowly increased with every bite I took.

…

After lunch, it was back to the classroom, where another faceless teacher was continuing another lesson. Once again, I was bored out of my mind, and thus started looking around the room. I could see Stupidmammon asleep next to me, as usual, plus Satan and Leviachan in their seats. Satan was taking notes, though I can’t imagine why, and Leviachan just seemed to be doodling pictures of Ruri-chan in his notebook. However, when I glanced over at Lucifer’s desk, it was suspiciously empty. Eyes narrowing, I turned to Stupidmammon, nudging him awake. He snorted, looking at me blankly and sleepily.

“What, what...”

“Where’s Lucifer?” I questioned. “I haven’t seen him since the game started.”

“Huh, Lucifer?” Stupidmammon yawned, rubbing his eyes. “I dunno. Who cares anyway? I’m glad he’s out of my sight...” He laid his head back down on his desk. “Though I think I saw him going up to the roof.”

With that, he went right back to sleep. More than a little concerned with Lucifer’s uncharacteristic lack of attendance, I got up and left the classroom. The teacher didn’t even seem to notice, or he just wasn’t programmed to stop the heroine from leaving. Either way, I was able to leave without consequence.

…

Upon reaching the roof, I was surprised by what I found. Lucifer was laying on one of the benches up there, seemingly soaking up some of the sunlight while taking a small nap. He had his tie looser than the last time I saw him, and just seemed so unguarded and relaxed. When I closed the roof door, he cracked an eye open, glancing over at me. He didn’t move from his spot, merely smiled a bit before letting out a small chuckle.

“I was wondering who’d come up here. I suppose it makes sense that it’s you, Belle.”

“I have to admit, when I came up here to find you… this is the last thing I was expecting.”

Lucifer chuckled again.

“I suppose to you, the idea of me skipping class to come up to the roof for a nap would be rather outlandish.”

“Exactly! I mean, you completely abhor the idea of being so much as a minute late to class, or being caught in such an undisciplined manner!”

“In the real world, yes,” Lucifer nodded before closing his eyes again. “But here, Diavolo isn’t here. I don’t have to worry about being a disgrace to him. To be honest, it’s quite the weight off my shoulders.”

I looked Lucifer over, seeing that he did look infinitely more relaxed then I think I’ve ever seen him. Even at night, he always carried himself as if he was constantly being watched, but here, he seemed to be finally able to unwind.

“So… this is the real you then? Beyond being the Avatar of Pride and Diavolo’s right hand?” I asked.

Lucifer gave a small shrug.

“Who knows? Perhaps it is, or perhaps this is merely me seizing a rare opportunity. However, do not speak a word of this to Diavolo when we return.”

“Your secret’s safe with me.”

He laid there and I just watched him, sitting down on the bench next to his head. I have no idea what possessed me, but I reached over and gently brushed a stray hair out of Lucifer’s face. He let out a soft, pleased sound, and I watched his intimacy level shoot up. Not wanting to ruin the moment, I said nothing, just enjoying the sun.

…

Eventually, the game began to draw to a close. Graduation day was approaching, and with it, the deadline for the happy ending. We all gathered in one of the classrooms after classes were done, all of us understandably anxious.

“So, tomorrow’s finally the big day...” Satan said quietly.

“The day we have to profess our love to Belle...” Lucifer remarked.

“Man, I’m worn out...” Stupidmammon moaned. “I mean, seriously, are games supposed to be this tiring?”

“Maybe you’re worn out because you’ve done nothing but sleep,” I told him bluntly. “But honestly, I have to agree. My nerves are so frazzled from all this, and the idea of all these insincere love confessions just feels… wrong to me.”

“Hey, it’s alright, Belle,” Leviachan insisted. “I’ll admit, I should have put your feelings into consideration before making you the heroine. I thought you’d have fun, and I’m sorry.”

“I guess you’re pretty tired too,” I remarked.

“I imagine he is, considering he spent the entire game coming up with cliche, over-the-top ways of trying to woo you,” Satan commented.

“Belle isn’t someone who enjoys over the top gestures,” Lucifer declared, as if he knew this from the beginning.

“No, no I don’t,” I nodded. “Frankly, all I want is someone I can be myself with. Someone who respects my boundaries and wishes, and understands that even if I’m not the most active lover, I do care.”

“Guess Stupidmammon’s out,” Leviachan quipped, getting a glare from his brother.

“Well whatever happens, it’s all over come tomorrow,” I declared, flopping onto a desk. “And good riddance!”

“So what exactly is our plan for tomorrow?” Satan asked, genuinely curious.

“Simple,” Leviachan answered. “Tomorrow, we’ll call Belle up to the roof one by one after the ceremony. We each profess our love, and she chooses who wins.”

“You make it sound so easy...” I bemoaned. “Let’s just get this over with...”

“Belle,” Lucifer spoke up, catching my attention. “No matter who you choose, you shouldn’t have any regrets about it. In the end, this is only a game after all. Just relax and pick whomever you’d like.”

“Uh… Lucifer?” Stupidmammon spoke up, looking concerned. “You’re bein’ weirdly nice to Belle. What gives?”

Lucifer’s kind smile fell, and a familiar cold annoyance took over his features.

“I want to get this idiotic game over with as soon as possible so we can get back to the real world.”

“Yeah right,” Leviachan snorted. “You’re probably just doing some sort of ploy to raise your intimacy score.”

“Believe whatever you wish,” Lucifer sighed.

While this went on, Satan slipped out of the classroom. He looked a bit upset, so I decided to go after him, a little worried. Thankfully, he hadn’t made it far before I caught up with him.

“Satan,” I called out, making him stop. “Are you okay?”

Satan turned back to me, and he let out a long sigh.

“I’m sorry,” he said out of the blue.

“Sorry? About what?”

“I know that you only got involved in this mess because of me and Lucifer. We caused you so much grief that you resorted to this just to get us to stop fighting. I just wanted to apologize for that before we went back to the real world.”

He turned away once more, but I caught his arm.

“Satan, wait,” I insisted. “I’m sorry too.”

That seemed to catch him off guard.

“What are you sorry for?” he questioned.

“This entire idea… Honestly, why did I even think a freaking Dating Sim was a good idea? You shouldn’t have to force yourself to like someone you don’t. And that’s not just talking about me… I shouldn’t have tried to force you and Lucifer to get along.”

Satan chuckled darkly, shaking his head.

“Honestly Belle, Lucifer and I are never going to get along… no matter how hard anyone tries, he’s never going to see me as anything less than some unruly child.”

“I don’t think so,” I admitted. “Honestly, Lucifer doesn’t see you as a child as much as you think. Personally, I just think that he’s just so desperate to look good in front of Diavolo, being his number two and all.”

Satan snorted, shaking his head dismissively.

“What do you know, human?” He paused when he saw my hurt expression and his own softened. “I’m kidding, I’m kidding. Sorry. I just really wanted to say that. I mean, you’re seriously saying that Lucifer doesn’t think of me as a child? That he only acts like that because he doesn’t want Diavolo to think less of him?”

“I can’t even begin to comprehend the full nature of their relationship, but Lucifer highly values his standing with Diavolo. It’s like… like he needs to be the best. Maybe that’s just his pride, or maybe it’s something more, but that’s just what I’ve noted.”

“I… can’t say I agree with you,” Satan muttered, “But even so… you were right about not needing to forcing myself to like someone I don’t. It’s rather refreshing, to be honest. And to think such a nugget of wisdom came from a mere human.”

“A hard learned lesson, believe me,” I replied.

“Even so, thanks.”

“Come on,” I told him, holding out a hand. “Just one more day, and this ordeal will finally be over.”

He took my hand, and we returned to the classroom, ready to face the final day.


	21. The End of the Game

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Doji Maji comes to an end, with a surprising result.

Sometimes in video games, the devs will throw players a curveball near the end, something they never saw coming. For example, in one of the only dating sims I’ve ever played, Doki Doki Literature Club, Monika being sentient and being able to say your real name usually throws people off. There are also secret bosses, betrayals from trusted allies, and so many other surprises someone can throw at you. However, none of them compare to the shitshow that hit us all when Graduation Day arrived.

The ceremony started, and we were all set to go up to the roof to end the game. The brothers were trying to work out an order on who would ask me to the roof first, and that’s when the monsters suddenly showed up. There was screaming as our computer generated classmates ended up getting completely and utterly devoured. Everything basically exploded from there, the monsters going wild and basically killing everyone.

Lucifer had quickly taken charge, gathering all of us as we pressed forward, trying to escape the carnage. Being without any means of defending myself, especially since I’d yet to use magic since the incident with Asmo, the brothers basically defended me as we fought our way to the roof. Occasionally, one of our classmates would tag along, but would either sacrifice themselves by drawing the monsters away, or would just end up dying along the way. Once we made it up there, we dragged the benches over to the door to try and barricade them.

“Okay, what the fuck is going on here?!” Stupidmammon shrieked. “This totally ain’t what I was told would happen!”

“Where did all these monsters come from?” Satan questioned. “I thought this was supposed to be a dating sim, not an ultimate monster hunter RPG!”

“Leviachan!!” I exclaimed. “You better explain this!”

“Hey, I’m just as surprised as you!” Leviachan declared, grinning widely. “I mean, this is totally exciting! Who would’ve thought that what looked like a simple dating sim would have this crazy twist at the end?! Not to mention how totally bloody it is! OMG, this is so EPIC!”

“Now is not the time to be gushing, Leviachan!” I snapped. “In case you forgot, we’re playing by Jumanji rules, meaning whatever happens here happens in the real world, and  **_I rather enjoy living!!_ ** ”

“Come to think about it,” Satan spoke up, “before he sacrificed himself to save us, John said that-”

“Wait, who’s John?” Stupidmammon questioned.

“I think he was one of the students that died for us on our way up here,” I answered.

“Oh yeah, John,” Leviachan recalled. “Now that I think back on it, when I first met him in game, I though he seemed like someone who was going to be killed off at some point in the story.”

“...anyway,” Satan growled, getting back on topic. “John said that we had to get to the roof, and that we would be the only ones who would stand a chance in ‘the final battle’.”

“Of course...” I realized. “If this has become a monster RPG, then there’s got to be a final boss. And if the game is supposed to end here on the roof...”

A loud trio of howls filled the air, and everything began to shake. All five of us tensed as a very familiar figure came bounding towards the roof.

“The Final Boss will be waiting for us,” Leviachan finished, his eyes going wide.

“No way...” Stupidmammon let out. “THAT’S the last boss?!”

“It would seem so,” Lucifer replied.

The final boss jumped over the fence surrounding the edge of the roof, and none other than Cerberus landed right in front of all of us. The concrete cracked from the force of his jump, and fire was pouring from all three of the massive dog’s mouths. He looked ready to eat us, and I silently wondered if this version of Cerberus remembered us from the incident during the retreat.

“Cerberus...” I whimpered. “Why did it have to be Cerberus?”

“Wait a minute,” Stupidmammon spoke up. “If this is our Cerberus, then we lucked out! I mean, this’ll be easy, right? We have Lucifer, Cerberus’ master on our side! He’ll be a docile as a lamb!”

“We don’t even know if this  _ is _ our Cerberus,” Satan pointed out. “And even if it was, this isn’t the Devildom. The rules are different here.”

“Cerberus, sit!” Lucifer demanded, trying his hand at the strategy.

Unfortunately for all of us, the command just seemed to piss off the three-headed dog even more. It growled, bits of fiery drool dripping from its trio of maws. Stupidmammon let out a girly shriek, hiding behind Lucifer in terror. I was in a similar state of panic, stumbling back and whimpering pathetically.

“You called it, Satan,” Leviachan remarked. “Lucifer’s real-world powers don’t work here!”

The three heads then began turning towards Satan, fierce red eyes locking on the wrathful demon.

“Satan, look out!” I shouted. “He’s going after you!”

The massive dog lunged at Satan, and was about to strike. However, before he could, Lucifer got between his brother and the massive beast. The look on his face was downright murderous as he stared down the three-headed dog.

“ **_CERBERUS!!_ ** ” He bellowed. “I believe I told you to  **_sit_ ** **.** Or didn’t you hear your master’s command?”

Cerberus growled, but didn’t attempt to pounce again. Still he didn’t obey either. The words in Lucifer’s textbox were shaking with the pure rage in his voice.

“Sit, Cerberus.  **_NOW!!_ ** ” he demanded. “And if you so much as think of trying to harm my brother...” his eyes became dangerous, flickering with so much righteous fury I was shocked he didn’t slip into his demon form. “Go ahead… see what happens to you.”

Leviachan, Stupidmammon and I were all just frozen, watching this standoff in stunned silence. Cerberus, on the other hand, couldn’t sit down fast enough. He lowered all three of his heads, whimpering as the fire in his mouths became little more than smoke. Satan was the most shocked of all, completely speechless as he watched his brother protect him so thoroughly.

“Whoa...” I said after a minute. “I- I can’t believe that-”

All of a sudden, everything went black, the once suspenseful background music becoming more cheery. Trumpets began playing, and the words “Mission Complete” seemed to appear out of nowhere. Colored confetti materialized as “Congratulations! Game Complete” replaced the first set of words. Before anyone could say anything more, the world went white one last time…

…

I gasped and sat up, finding myself on the ground where I had been sitting before. Mammon sat up right next to me, patting himself down and looking around.

“I’m...” he let out. “I’m not Stupidmammon anymore! We’re back in the real world!”

“Cue the Confetti!” Levi cheered. “We just broke the RTA Speedrun record!”

At that moment, Satan and Lucifer entered the room, and Mammon quickly rushed over to the younger demon.

“Satan! We did it! We made it back to the real world!”

That’s when Lucifer cleared his throat.

“Actually, I’m over here,” Lucifer(Satan) informed him. “I’m back in Lucifer’s body...”

“Oh come on!” I exclaimed, flopping onto my back. “And I was getting used to you guys being back to normal too!”

“Unfortunately, the effect of the game world did not cross over with us,” Satan(Lucifer) lamented. “Meaning the magic of the book is still in effect.”

“Seriously?” Mammon questioned.

“What if you guys stayed inside the game world until the spell wears off in the Devildom?” Levi suggested.

Satan(Lucifer) mulled over the idea for a moment.

“That  _ is _ a possibility,” he remarked.

“No, no it’s not,” I declared. “You forget about the twist ending. I mean, we all barely survived, and what if Cerberus shows up again?”

“No problem,” Lucifer(Satan) declared without a moment of hesitation. “I have Lucifer.”

Satan(Lucifer) snorted, shaking his head. 

“What’s that now? You want to force me to stare down Cerberus again?”

Lucifer(Satan) remained unphased by his brother’s dismissive tone. In fact, he seemed oddly confident, and more than a little proud as he spoke up.

“Well, it’s nothing my big brother can’t handle, now is it? Even Cerberus becomes like a regular dog when faced with Lucifer’s icy stare.”

Satan(Lucifer)’s bitter scowl melted as he seemed to register that his brother was being oddly sincere. After a moment, a smile cracked on his face.

“If you’d like, Satan, I could teach you how to command Cerberus to do as you say.”

“Don’t be crazy,” Lucifer(Satan) laughed goodnaturedly. “That’s something only you can do. I wouldn’t have a chance.”

“Actually, I think you have what it takes to do it.”

“Well, maybe,” Lucifer(Satan) shrugged. “I  _ was _ once part of you, after all.”

That seemed to stun Satan(Lucifer) for a moment, making me wonder if Satan had ever admitted to his origins aloud. Thinking back to when I brought it up, he had treated it like some dark secret that was never meant to be heard by mortal ears. However, now he was admitting to his origins so flippantly. Apparently, the look of surprise on Satan(Lucifer)’s face seemed to amuse his flip-flopped brother, who laughed a bit.

“Oh man, you should see how goofy you look right now!”

“Hey guys,” I whispered, looking back at Levi and Mammon. “Is it just me, or are those two… actually getting along?”

“Shh!” Levi hissed, typing furiously on his phone. “Don’t talk to me right now! I have to be the first to review Doji Maji on Akuzon...”

“Make sure to ask about why the hell we had to raise our intimacy scores when they didn’t mean shit at the end of the game,” Mammon told him.

I blinked, then laughed and shook my head.

“So, this is what it feels like to be Mammon.”

Still, the plan seemed to have worked, somewhat. Lucifer and Satan had, at the very least, seemed to have come to some sort of settlement to their feud. I held no illusions that it would hold forever, but at the very least, they didn’t want to kill one another anymore. Satisfied, I got up and began heading to my room to get some much needed rest. After all, the curse was still active, and I knew that one way or another, we were going to have to find a way to break it.


	22. The Human World

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Lucifer and Satan still switched, a trip to Jolly Ole England is in order. Belle gets dragged along.

The day after the Doji Maji incident, things were shockingly peaceful in the House of Lamentations. Satan and Lucifer were still in each other’s bodies, but they no longer seemed to be fighting over the smallest of issues. Satan(Lucifer) was still weary of his wrathful brother, but Lucifer(Satan) seemed surprisingly chill and nonchalant. He mostly stuck to the library, catching up on his reading while Mammon pestered him like a gnat.

Around lunchtime, Satan(Lucifer) came in and grabbed Mammon by the back of his jacket, dragging him out of the library. Having been enjoying the quiet in the library as well, I perked when he did that.

“Hey, what’s going on?” I questioned. “Are you stringing up Mammon again?”

“Not today,” Satan(Lucifer) replied. “We’re going out shopping, and you’re coming as well Isabella.”

“Wait, shopping?” Mammon repeated, straightening up as Satan(Lucifer) released his jacket. “Why didn’t you say so?! Let’s go!”

He bolted for the door as I got up, setting my book aside.

“Shopping, huh?” I asked. “You’re being surprisingly generous.”

“Are you coming or not, Isabella?”

“I will…” a playful smirk slipped onto my face, “if you call me Belle.”

That seemed to surprise Satan(Lucifer). He looked me over, raising an eyebrow as I grabbed my jacket from the coat rack.

“Everyone else calls me Belle, although Asmo seems to enjoy calling me Bella, but you’re the only one who insists one using my full name.”

Satan(Lucifer) mulled this over for a bit, then moved to hold the door open for me.

“Are you coming, Belle?”

I smiled, grabbing my messenger bag purse before making my way out the door.

…

Heading out into the Devildom Shopping center with the Avatar of Greed turned out pretty much how you would expect. Mammon was like a little kid in a toy store, pressing his face up against the glass of every window and ogling the goods inside.

“Oh man!” he cheered, pointing at some sparkling gems in a jewelry store window. “Check it out! It’s a super-rare magic stone! Ooh, and it’s on sale as today’s featured item too?! Wow that’s cheap!  _ Crazy _ cheap! If I broke it into smaller pieces and sold those individually, I’d make serious bank...” 

He began laughing to himself, rubbing his hands together as both Satan(Lucifer) and I rolled our eyes. Once he was finished with his greed induced fit, he turned to his brother and put on a pleading expression, clasped hands and everything. 

“Lucifer, my  _ favorite _ big brother! You gotta buy that for me! You gotta!” When Satan(Lucifer) and I both just kept walking, he moved in front of up to continue his pleads. “C’mon, I gotta have it! I gotta, I gotta, I gotta, I gotta! If you don’t buy it for me, I’m gonna be real  _ sad _ … I’ll end up cryin’.. I’ll throw a tantrum… and you don’t want that, do ya?”

“What are you, five?” I questioned, shaking my head as Satan(Lucifer) wrapped an arm around me.

“Leave him be, Belle,” he told me. “Pretend you don’t know him.”

“Know who?” I quipped, getting a chuckle out of my companion.

“Lucifer...” Mammon whined. “Come on… I mean, how is this fair? You literally dragged me out here to go shopping with you, and you’re not even gonna reward me for it? It’s just a magic stone. Puh-lease?!”

“Okay, seriously Mammon, grow up,” I snapped. “You’re a frikken demonic Avatar, so start acting like one, and not like a bratty, entitled kid.”

“And honesty, a  _ reward? _ ” Satan(Lucifer) scoffed. “The entire reason I brought you along with me to begin with was to get you away from Satan. When you two pair up, nothing good ever comes of it, especially when  _ I _ am expected to clean up the mess.” He sighed, shaking his head and just looking tired. “Tomorrow is my big speech. It’s almost time, and yet we’re still trapped in each others’ bodies. I have no guarantee that I will be back to myself in time.”

“Look Lucifer,” I spoke up. “Maybe you should just bite the bullet and ask Satan to do it.”

“Belle’s right,” Mammon agreed. “I mean, you’re kinda outta options anyway. All ya gotta say is, ‘Satan, no funny business this time. Give the speech and be done with it’.”

“I have no intention of begging him for his help,” Lucifer declared, his voice hard. “And even if I did, I have no guarantee he wouldn’t use the opportunity to do something nefarious.”

“You sure about that?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Positive. This is  _ Satan _ we’re talking about. I highly doubt he would simply do as I asked.”

“I think you’re letting old feelings keep you from seeing the truth,” I insisted. “I mean, after everything that went down in Doji Maji, Satan seems to have mellowed out. He’s genuinely changed, at least a little bit. Enough that he’s not actively seeking out ways to make your life hell.”

“Exactly!” Mammon declared, gesturing to me. “Belle sees it too! He’s… how do I put it… He’s lost that bitterness he had. Or, at the very least, he’s not  _ as _ bitter and stuff anymore.”

“Come on, Belle,” Satan(Lucifer) insisted, attempting to usher me away. “I’m going to head inside this store over here.”

“Oh no you don’t,” I declared, slipping free of his arms. “Don’t try and dodge this. You know we’re right.”

“No, you’re not,” Satan(Lucifer) told me, shaking his head. “Demons don’t change so easily, Belle, especially not Satan. Since the day he came into this world, his entire purpose in life has been to defy me. And now, you two are suggesting he’s  _ changed _ ? It’s his very nature to oppose me, and a demon’s nature doesn’t change overnight.”

“We’re not saying he’s been completely revamped, but he’s not as bad as before,” Mammon insisted. “Like, just this morning, I told him we should totally use the fact that he looks like you to our advantage. I said we should scam random folks, make some easy money… but Satan wasn’t having any of it. He was like,” he straightened up, putting on a mocking face, “‘Nah, I’m tired of doing stuff like that’ and ‘eh, too much work’. Usually, he’d jump at an opportunity like that, but now he’s no fun at all.”

“Barring all that ‘no fun’ stuff, Mammon’s right,” I spoke up. “Before the game, Satan would have done anything if it meant making your life difficult. But now, he’s not interested.”

Satan(Lucifer) didn’t seem to be listening to me, his eyes locking onto Mammon with a familiar, angry glare.

“Mammon...” he snarled, rage radiating off his stolen body. “Did I hear you correctly? You were planning on taking advantage of the fact that Satan looks like me to  _ scam random folks? _ ”

“Uh oh...” Mammon gulped.

“ **_MAMMON?!_ ** ”

“Oh boy...” I groaned, stepping back. “Here we go again...”

…

Sometime later, the three of us had made it to Hell’s Kitchen, sitting down in a corner booth. Mammon was nursing a rather large bump on his head, as well as a bloody nose. He groaned, rubbing his head and wiping his nose.

“Did you really have to hit me that hard?” he grumbled, glaring at Satan(Lucifer.

“You were the one plotting nefarious things with his body,” I reminded him. “You were basically asking for it.”

“Just be grateful, I’m not in my real body,” Satan(Lucifer) growled. “Otherwise, things would have turned out a lot worse for you.”

“I know, I know, but it still frikken hurts, no matter who’s the one doing the hurting!” Mammon snapped.

“Not to worry,” Satan(Lucifer) assured his brother, a sadistic smirk on his face. “I’ll be back to my old self soon enough. Then we’ll do something about the overly  _ lenient _ beatings you’ve been getting while I’ve been in Satan’s body. I’ll make up for that pain deficit all at once.”

Mammon whimpered as I just shook my head.

“You will never learn, will you Mammon?”

“Ignore him, Belle,” Satan(Lucifer) told me. “Order yourself something to eat, I’m certain you’re hungry.”

Indeed, I was quite hungry, and the food in Hell’s Kitchen was very good. I hadn’t been here since Beel treated me to food after our pact, since Grimm was rather short, and things had been so insane. I ordered some triomote musk hog chops with roasted devil root, which I found were pretty close to potatoes. Oddly enough, brussel sprouts were quite common in the Devildom, and being a fan of them, I was quite happy with the veggie being available. I’m not sure what Mammon ordered, but I think it was something from the more expensive part of the menu. Shockingly, Satan(Lucifer) seemed rather nonplussed about it.

“Enjoy your food,” he told us, watching as he ate with a smile on his face. “Considering the abruptness of this trip, I suppose some reward is in order, so eat as much as you want.”

“Thanks Lucifer,” I said, munching happily on one of the devil roots.

“Yes, thank you!” Mammon cheered. “I take back everything I said. You’re the best, Lucifer!”

We ate in peace, Satan(Lucifer) daintily eating what was on his plate while Mammon chowed down in an almost Beel like fashion. I just did my best to use my manners, and soon, the meal was over. Mammon leaned back in the booth, patting his stomach and smiling.

“Man, that was good… I can’t eat another bite.”

“Yep, me neither,” I agreed. “Thanks again.”

“If you wish to thank me, then you can compensate me for all that food you ate through hard work,” Satan(Lucifer) declared, his tone serious, as if he truly expected repayment.

Mammon’s face fell, becoming an expression of betrayal. I sighed, shaking my head.

“I knew it. I knew there was something fishy about all this.” I sat up, crossing my arms. “Alright. What do you have in mind?”

“I’m heading up to the human world, and you two are coming with me.”

That threw both me and Mammon for a loop. I’ll admit that the idea of returning to the human world, even for a little bit, was beyond enticing. The feel of the artificial sun from the Doji Maji game had left me wanting for a real walk in the sun, and I was feeling a little homesick. Mammon, on the other hand, just seemed more surprised than anything.

“The human world? Like, for real?! We get to go to the human world?!” A massive grin broke out on the greedy demon’s face. “This is awesome! I mean, that sounds like a ton of fun!”

“I have to agree with Mammon,” I said. “A trip to the human world does sound nice. I’d go, even if you weren’t holding lunch over me.”

“Took the words right out of my mouth, Belle,” Mammon declared, a wistful expression creeping onto him as he looked out into the distance. “Man, it’s been some time since I’ve gotten to go up there for fun. I used to corrupt human souls left and right, and make a bunch of money doing it too. Then, I’d go on a massive spending spree! Oh, this is gonna be great!”

Mammon’s bragging reminded me of the company I was keeping and I felt an uneasiness wash over me. My earlier excitement waned and I turned to Satan(Lucifer) with a concerned expression.

“Why exactly are we going to the human world?”

“Because of the cursed book that started this entire debacle,” Satan(Lucifer) explained calmly. “I looked into the witch who created the book and found that she is still alive. As the curse’s creator, it is only logical that she would have a counter-curse that will return me to my proper body.”

Now it was Mammon’s turn to be hit with a wave of uneasiness. He tensed hard when the word “witch” had been thrown out, and had been wracking his brain attempting to figure out which witch (LOL) Satan(Lucifer) was referring to.

“Wait a moment...” he muttered. “A witch that specializes in cursed tomes… and crafted a body switching curse...” His eyes widened and he gasped. “Uh… y’know what? I think I’m gonna go ahead and sit this one out… bye!”

He attempted to vault out of the booth as Satan(Lucifer) rolled his eyes.

“Belle, would you mind?”

“Mammon, Stay!!”

Mammon dropped to the ground right in the middle of the restaurant. He yelped as he did, his pact bracelet locking onto the ground. The wait staff, to my surprise, merely walked around him and ignored his struggles. A few of the patrons whipped out their D.D.D’s, no doubt revelling in Mammon’s misfortune. I was almost certain some photos were gonna end up on Devilgram before the night was up.

“Did you really think you would escape so easily?” Satan(Lucifer) snarked. “I require your assistance, so no matter what, you  _ will _ be coming along.”

“Why Mammon?” I asked. “I get the feeling it’s more than just keeping him away from Satan.”

“An astute observation, Belle. You see, this particular witch is actually a big fan of both Satan and Mammon. Having the two demons she favors, even if it’s just Satan’s body, will increase our chances of receiving the help we need.”

“And me?”

“Simple. As long as we’re going to be in the human world, I imagine having one along with us will come in handy.”

“Why me...” Mammon sobbed.

“Where exactly are we going?” I questioned, ignoring the greedy demon.

Satan(Lucifer) smiled. “London.”

…

After dealing with our tab, Satan(Lucifer) led me and Mammon back through the Devildom. Although, I suppose it would be more appropriate to say he was leading me, and Mammon was being dragged around by his pact. He had attempted to remain exactly where I’d dropped him, but a quick “Come” command had him trailing behind me on that ever helpful invisible leash.

“No, no, no, no, no!” he cried out, trying to dig his heels into the cobblestone streets to no avail. “I don’t wanna! I’m not goin’ to any human world! Don’t make me!!”

Satan(Lucifer) whirled around, looking utterly furious.

“If you don’t shut up right this second, I promise that one of the first things I’ll do once I’m back in my real body is string you up and hang you upside down for a thousand years!”

Mammon whined, but did stop shouting. He didn’t, however, stop his attempts at escaping. Ignoring his futile efforts, I turned my attention to our guide.

“So, how do you get to the human world? When I came here, I just remember blacking out and waking up in the Student Council room.”

“Oh, there are more than a few methods. One such method is to use an eternal magic seal.” At my look, Satan(Lucifer) cracked a smile. “It’s a passage between worlds that has existed since ancient times. There are several throughout the Devildom, including one right… here.”

We all stopped at a crossroads, where the cobblestones split apart to reveal a very intricately designed summoning circle. It was covered in runes from a language I couldn’t even begin to comprehend, and there was a hum of power around it, a slight red glow rising from it.

“So, demons can come and go between this realm and my realm as much as they want?” I asked.

“Not exactly,” Mammon declared, glaring at the circle with mild disdain. “Pretty much the only demons allowed to use these things are Lucifer, Barbatos, and Diavolo. The rest of us need written permission or an escort, both of which are nearly impossible to get. I mean, how is that even fair? Other demons wanna be able to use ‘em too!”

“Originally, there was no such policy, however,” Satan(Lucifer) cast a bitter glance at his brother, “some problems up in the human realm necessitated its inclusion.”

I groaned, rubbing my eyes.

“Let me guess, someone would go up and make trouble with the locals?”

“Local witches, actually,” Satan(Lucifer) corrected. “Landed himself in many pacts, and in serious debt that he is  _ still _ trying and failing to get out off.”

Mammon chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his head before swallowing hard. Both Satan(Lucifer) and I ignored him and returned to our conversation.

“So, what are the other ways to get to the human realm?” I wondered.

“Well, there’s the classic route. Essentially, you walk through all eight layers of the Devildom on foot.”

“No way!” Mammon shouted. “Not happening! Way too much trouble!”

“Sounds like,” I agreed. “Though the eight layers thing is surprising. I thought there were seven… or is it nine?”

“A common mistake,” Satan(Lucifer) told me. “There are eight, but miscounting is quite easy to do, especially with the number of demons and obstacles one can encounter along that route. Luckily for all of us, I have no intention of utilizing that particular route. It’s far too long, and I doubt your psyche would survive the trip.”

Now it was my turn to swallow hard, a shudder passing through me.

“Right...” I let out. “I keep forgetting where I am.”

“So I’ve noticed. Continuing on, a third way to travel to the human world is to have a magically gifted person like a witch or a sorcerer summon you there. It sounds simple, but there are several limitations to that approach. Mammon is well acquainted with them, so have him fill you in later.”

“Will do,” I nodded, to which Mammon just shivered.

“No witches,” he muttered, holding himself and trembling slightly. “Not witches, no witches...”

“Alright, alright, we get it, you’re terrified of witches,” Satan(Lucifer) said flatly as he bent down to touch the circle. “Now, let us be off.”

He placed both hands on the circle, closed his eyes, then let out a long breath. Nothing happened, which left both me and Mammon just standing there awkwardly. Satan(Lucifer) opened his eyes, looking at the circle in confusion. Mammon and I did the same, my greedy companion even patting himself down and cleaning his glasses for good measure.

“Uh… we’re still here.”

“What?” Satan(Lucifer) let out, looking completely flummoxed. “This- This shouldn’t have happened. We should be in London...”

I looked down at the circle, then at Satan(Lucifer). It clicked for me in that moment, and I felt some embarrassment for the flip flopped demon.

“Uh… Lucifer? Remember how you said only you, Diavolo, and Barbatos could use this thing without permission? Well… you’re not you right now. You’re Satan. So… that means-”

“You don’t have permission to use the circle!” Mammon exclaimed, suddenly cackling. “It recognizes you as Satan, not yourself! Oh this is rich!”

I could almost feel the blow that Lucifer’s pride took with that information, his face turning red as his fists clenched. I winced in sympathy for him, but kept my comments to myself, knowing it wouldn’t help the situation at all.

“Well, guess we’re not going to the human world after all!” Mammon cheered, clearly grateful to be avoiding running into any witches. “Nope, not like this! You’ll just have to wait for it to wear off naturally, and just swallow that pride of yours and ask Satan for help! Of course, I could ask him for ya, sparing you  _ that _ awkward encounter. I’ll have to charge you, seeing as my services aren’t free, but I’ll apply the family discount-”

“That won’t be necessary,” Lucifer(Satan) declared.

Mammon jumped, Satan(Lucifer)’s head shot up, and I turned to see the possessed eldest leaning against a lamp post.

“I hate speeches,” he announced, approaching us. “They’re a giant hassle, and I’ve got no intention of agreeing to give one.”

“Satan?” Mammon let out. “What are you doing here?”

“And how long have you been standing there?” I added.

“Long enough to hear everything,” Lucifer(Satan) replied, approaching the circle and crouching down next to Satan(Lucifer). “So, shall we get going?”

“Get going?” Mammon asked, his eyes going wide. “Wait, don’t tell me you actually wanna go to the-”

“The human world?” Lucifer(Satan) interjected, smirking a bit. “Yes, I do. How else will we find the witch who created this curse? We do need to switch us back sooner rather than later, and seeing as I’m technically Lucifer right now, I’m the only one who can use this thing.”

Satan(Lucifer) seemed to recover from the earlier blow to his ego, straightening up and giving his possessed body a withering stare.

“Don’t think this means I owe you anything.”

“Of course not,” Lucifer(Satan) replied, his smirk never waning. “This was never about incurring any debts with you. No, I’m simply tired of walking around in your body and want my own back. I’ve had all the fun I can.”

Satan(Lucifer) let out a small growl, but said nothing as he and his brother both focused on the magic circle.

“Oh,  **_NOW_ ** you get along!” Mammon exclaimed. “Look, if you wanna go see this witch or whatever, fine! Just don’t make me go-”

That’s when the magic of the circle began to activate, the red glow of the runes becoming swirling, mystic energies that began engulfing all of us. We all braced ourselves as we were literally ripped from the Devildom in blinding light, everything going white.

…

When the light settled and the spots cleared from my vision, I looked around to see where we were. From what I could tell, we were in what looked like a cellar of some sort. There were shelves and shelves of various glass bottles, as well as a few barrels here and there. The entire area smelled like a sunken brewery, and there was a sign hanging on the door at the top of some musty cobblestone steps.

“To all Unearthly Visitors, Please Knock.”

Above us, I could hear people walking around, as well as the sound of various instruments being played. Satan(Lucifer) cocked an ear at the music, taking a listen.

“Certainly one of Crowley’s better bands,” he remarked, adjusting his jacket. “Come along, we can’t waste time here.”

“Uh...” I let out, looking around, “where  _ is _ here?”

“I know this place...” Mammon said with a grin. “We’re at Hell’s Gate Tavern! I love this place! They have the best dark beers in the mortal realm!”

Before we could stop him, Mammon bolted through the door and into what I could only assume was the main part of the tavern. I went to stop him, but both Satan and Lucifer caught me by the arm.

“Wait,” Lucifer(Satan) warned, keeping an arm in front of me to keep me from charging ahead.

“You might wish to cover your ears as well,” Satan(Lucifer) told me.

I cocked my head in confusion, but did as I was told. Mammon grasped the handle of the door and flung it wide open.

“Hello London!” he cheered.

A dead silence seemed to fill the bar, the music coming to a grinding halt, and any idle chatter dying in the wake of Mammon’s abrupt interruption. Lucifer(Satan) held up three fingers, then two, then one. As he lowered the final finger, a massive hand grabbed Mammon by the front of his shirt, pulling him out of view of the door, the door slamming shut.

“Uh...” I let out, more than a little nervous. “What just-”

“Oh no,” Lucifer(Satan) said in a clearly fake concerned tone. “It seems Crowley noticed Mammon’s entrance. We best go save him.”

Satan(Lucifer) just let out a long sigh, shaking his head and pinching the bridge of his nose. His eyes seemed to squint at the visible headache he was getting.

“Just once… I’d like to go somewhere that Mammon does not owe a debt to...”

“Maybe we’re lucky and it’s not  _ too _ much this time,” Lucifer(Satan) replied, taking slow deliberate steps towards the door.

“Uh, hang on,” I spoke up, slowly removing my hands from my ears, “Why was I supposed to cover my-”

An ear piercing shriek of terror and pain ripped through the air. I recognized it as one of Mammon’s, the greedy demon having let out similar shrill screams after Lucifer found his credit card bill. I shuddered and felt myself freeze in place. The two brothers still with me gently ushered me towards the stairs.

“That’s why,” Satan(Lucifer) explained.

“Glad to see his time on the mortal plane hasn’t diminished Crowley’s sadistic methods,” Lucifer(Satan) remarked, smirking a bit. “He was one of my favorite teachers.”

“Let’s just hope that he doesn’t hurt Mammon too badly,” Satan(Lucifer) said with a shake of his head

…

After we finally managed to drag Mammon away from the tavern, Crowley shaking his fist at a skittish Mammon as Lucifer reluctantly paid his brother’s overdue tab, the four of us stepped out into beautiful, sunny London. I will admit, I was completely in awe of everything I was seeing, given I had never left the United States. London had always been on my list of places to visit, to which I blame a lot of BBC TV and the Harry Potter movies. I probably looked like any other american tourist, though I imagine my three unearthly handsome escorts were probably drawing more stares. I was grateful we were all dressed in our casual attire, because the RAD Uniforms would have just made this even crazier.

“I can’t believe we’re actually in London...” I said quietly.

“I thought you were from the human world, Belle,” Mammon remarked. “Wouldn’t you be used to all this?”

“I’m a college student living in a flat in Texas. Aside from the Devildom, I’ve never left the states. London is on a completely different continent.”

“So long as you are able to help us adapt to this realm, that doesn’t matter,” Satan(Lucifer) told me.

From there, we made our way to King’s Cross station, clearly with the intention of boarding a train. I was more than a little giddy to be riding on an actual train. The fact that this was the station where the Harry Potter books had the infamous Platform 9 ¾ also had my little nerdy heart pounding. And apparently, I wasn’t the only one going crazy.

“Belle, look!” Mammon exclaimed, grabbing my hand and pulling me towards a shop inside the station itself. “This place is selling official Harry Potter merchandise!”

“I never pegged you for a Potterhead,” I remarked, allowing him to pull me along.

“Why not? The movies were awesome! And this place is where they were filmed!” We reached the shop, and Mammon’s eyes instantly landed on some of the movie based candies on display. “Look! They have chocolate frogs, those every flavor beans, and even licorice wands! We have to get some! We gotta!”

“And how exactly do you intend to pay for them?” Satan(Lucifer) questioned as he and his flipped brother approached us. “I’ve already paid off your debt with Crowley, and I have no desire to buy anything more for you.”

“Unfortunately, all I have on me is about 4 dollars in american dollars, and like…” I pulled my wallet out of my bag, taking a look, “50 Grimm. No british pounds.”

“And I sure as hell don’t have any human world currency on me!” Mammon declared, almost as if he was proud of the fact.

“You never have any money, Mammon,” Lucifer(Satan) retorted, “regardless of the world you’re in.”

“Hey, it’s not like I don’t got any money at all!” Mammon argued. “I’m just always either savin’ it all up or spending it like crazy. So I never have any on hand, that’s all!”

Satan(Lucifer) groaned, shaking his head.

“You truly are a demon’s demon, Mammon...”

By this point, I was just ignoring my demonic companions, window shopping through the store. They had various robes from the different houses, several t-shirts, replica wands, and many posters. I kept my hands to myself, a trait drilled into me by my mom when I wasn’t going to buy something, until I found myself standing in front of a small display with several keychains and other oddities.

“Ooh,” I let out as I gently cradled one of the keychains. “A chocolate frog keychain. And it looks almost real enough to eat.”

“Good eye, Belle!” Mammon declared, startling me as he basically materialized next to me. “You want one, don’t you? C’mon, I know a spark of greed when I see it. You’re thinking ‘it’s just a keychain. Surely Lucifer won’t begrudge me something so small, especially since I’m doing him such a  _ HUGE _ favor by coming to the human world for him’.”

“Actually, I was thinking that it looks cool, but since I don’t have money for myself, I’m gonna get it. I’m not you, Mammon.”

“Don’t lie to me, Belle,” Mammon ribbed, scooping up the keychain and dangling it in front of me. “You want it, I can tell. You know that these aren’t sold anywhere else but here, and you’re worried you’ll never get a chance to bring back a souvenir from probably your only trip to Europe.”

I’ll admit, he had me there. I really did want some sort of souvenir to prove that this really happened to me, and that this wasn’t one the various detailed dreams I’d had since coming to the Devildom. (Trust me, I’ve had so many centered on the brothers. Vampire centric ones, an Arabian Nights one, an Alice in Wonderland one, and even a Cinderella one. I blame those last two on a disney movie marathon I had with Beel while I was stuck in his room.)

“Well...” I reluctantly spoke up. “Maybe a little...”

“Perfect!” Mammon cheered. “We can get two! That way we have matching keychains! Lucifer, please! Can you really deny Belle such a small token after everything?”

Seeing my face, Satan(Lucifer) let out a light chuckle, approaching us with a smile.

“Very well, it seems I have no choice,” he said as he scooped up four keychains.

He proceeded to the checkout counter, paying for the keychains as Mammon looked confused.

“Uh… hang on. Why do you have four? We only need two. One for me and one for Belle.”

“There are four of us here,” Satan(Lucifer) pointed out, pulling out a five pound note from his wallet. “Thus, I am buying four keychains.”

“What?!” Mammon whined. “So now you, me, and Satan are gonna have matching keychains?! Why’s it gotta be like that?! Ugh, that’s just gross!”

“Well, Lucifer,” Lucifer(Satan) chimed in, “it seems Mammon doesn’t want one. Think it’s too late to put one back? You can save the 1.29 you would have spent on his and just get the three for us.”

Realizing his whining was having the opposite effect, as usual, Mammon quickly backtracked.

“No… wait, I do want one! I totally do! I gotta have one…!”

“That’s what I thought,” Satan(Lucifer) declared, tossing one of the keychains at Mammon. “Now take your gift and stop whining.” He then turned to me, holding out another one. “Here you go Belle. Thank you for putting up with this trip, as well as my brother’s shenanigans.”

I smiled and claimed the keychain, already fishing my keys out of my bag to attach it. As I did, I watched Lucifer(Satan) take his, accepting the gift graciously. Mammon continued to pout, but did attach the keychain to his pant loop, muttering to himself. I looked down at mine, smiling a bit as I realized what it really symbolized. I’m not sure when it happened, but at some point during this whole body switching misadventure, I had finally managed to break the ice with Lucifer. Maybe my plans to earn his respect weren’t as far fetched as I initially believed.

“Belle, hurry up!” Satan(Lucifer) called out from outside the shop. “The train’s about to leave without us.”

“Coming!” I called, shoving my keys back into my bag before rushing to catch up.


	23. The Murder Mystery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A death on the train leads to a rather interesting chain of events for Belle and the Brothers

Lucifer had managed to book us a private cabin on the Reichenbach train, with perhaps one of the nicest rooms I’d ever seen. It seemed more like a hotel than a train cabin, with the only indication to the latter being the constantly moving landscape outside the window. I sat on one of the queen sized beds, looking out the window with a wistful smile, just enjoying the rare moment of peace.

Of course, Mammon went and ruined it pretty much immediately.

“Whoa!” he shouted, pressing his face against the glass of the window. “Check it out, Belle! Sheep! Real live sheep! There’s a whole flock of ‘em! Bet they taste good!”

Lucifer(Satan) grabbed Mammon, pulling him off the window before shoving him onto the bed next to me.

“Mammon, quit shouting every time you see something mildly interesting,” he chastised, sounding so much like the brother whose body he was currently inhabiting. “You’re embarrassing us.”

“I’m just grateful that I shelled out the extra money for a first class private cabin,” Satan(Lucifer) declared. “While it was more expensive, it was clearly a worthwhile investment with our boisterous brother accompanying us.”

“I think this is the first time I’ve gotten anything in first class,” I commented, leaning back on the bed. “I’m lucky if I can afford a basic cabin seat of a plane, much less a private car on a train.”

“Glad you’re enjoying yourself, Belle,” Satan(Lucifer) told me, sounding like he genuinely meant that.

Mammon let out a gagging noise, standing up from where he’d been shoved and adjusting his jacket.

“Whelp, I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m starving. Isn’t there somewhere on this thing where a demon can get something to eat?”

I laughed a bit, shaking my head.

“I do believe the word you’re looking for is ‘Dining Car’,” I offered up.

“Right that,” Mammon replied, snapping his finger and pointing at me. “I’m gonna go find it, get some grub, then take pictures so I can brag to Beel when we get back to the Devildom. Later!”

With that, he left the cabin, humming happily to himself as he skipped out of the car. I watched him go, shaking my head and laughing a bit.

“I swear, he reminds me of my little sister when he gets like that.”

The two flip flopped demons glanced up at me, curiosity burning in their eyes.

“I was unaware you had a sister,” Satan(Lucifer) spoke up.

“No one ever asked,” I replied, giving a shrug.

“What’s she like?” Lucifer(Satan) asked, genuinely curious.

I laughed a bit, adjusting myself on the bed and thinking back.

“Honestly, we were polar opposites of each other. Different appearances, different interests, different styles… honestly if I hadn’t been there to watch her be born, I’d think we weren’t related by blood.” I sighed a bit. “Still, even though we were so vastly different, we still care about each other.”

“Surely you’re not trying to tell us you and your sister get along perfectly,” Satan(Lucifer) insisted.

That got a snort out of me, one that devolved into a giggle before I regained control of myself.

“Hell no! We are far from perfect! We fight, we bicker, but that’s just what siblings do. I think it’s hardwired into them to clash.”

“And yet, you speak of her so fondly,” Lucifer(Satan) noted. “I can’t remember the last time any of us spoke about the other in any form of fondness.”

“Well, I don’t know how it is for demons, but even if my sister and I fight, we still love each other.” I thought for a moment, then a memory hit me and I smiled. “For example, when my sister and I were little, like still in single digits, we were arguing over whose turn it was to use our family computer. I was on it and I didn’t want to give it up, and my sister was rocking back and forth in her chair throwing a tantrum. Granted, she was like 5 at the time, so it was par for the course. But, she ended up leaning too far back and the chair toppled over. The computer room was carpeted, so she should have been fine, but unfortunately, the back of her head hit the corner of this table.”

Both of the demon brothers winced.

“I imagine such a wound on a mere human, much less a preschool child, would be quite devastating,” Satan(Lucifer) remarked.

“Oh, it was,” I nodded. “Cracked her head hard and she had a massive bloodstain across the back of her shirt. We ended up having to go to the hospital, and the entire time, I refused to leave her side. It was as if a switch had been flipped in me. The second my sister was hurt, my annoyance at her trying to take the computer vanished, leaving nothing but sisterly concern.”

The two brothers seemed to mull on this a bit, and I could only imagine they were thinking back to how quickly Lucifer had stepped in to save Satan from Cerberus. I laid back down on the bed, just looking up at the ceiling.

“My mom used to tell us we had to get along everytime we bickered. The way she put it though, I’ll never forget. She said ‘one day, it’s just gonna be the two of you. You’ll be all each other has, the only people who knew what it was like to grow up with one another. When that day comes, do you really want to have nothing but resentment and bickering?’ I guess it always stuck with me. Sure we still have our disagreements, but we just came to the realization that most of our fights were just stupid. Now if we disagree, we just talk it out like adults.”

“Intriguing...” Satan(Lucifer) commented.

“The only one who knows what it was like...” Lucifer(Satan) repeated.

All of a sudden, the peaceful atmosphere of the car was broken by a horrified scream coming from outside the cabin. I shot up from the bed, my two companions instantly on the defensive as they moved between me and the door.

“Someone call the crew! A woman’s been stabbed!”

“Uh-oh,” I let out, feeling my heart plummet into my stomach. “Please don’t tell me-”

“Ma’am, calm down!” a voice insisted, most likely one of the train’s crew. “Tell me everything.”

“A young man with white hair! He- he stabbed this poor woman in the back!”

“White...” I let out.

“Hair...” Lucifer(Satan) groaned.

“ **_MAMMON!!_ ** ” Satan(Lucifer) howled.

…

Mammon wasn’t able to run very far on the train, and had been captured pretty quickly. He was being manhandled by several of the crewmen, whom I’m pretty sure were only able to hold him because if Mammon showed his demonic strength, he’d  _ really _ be in trouble. He ceased struggling as I approached, two pissed off demons flanking me.

“Do you know this young man?” one of the crewmembers asked.

“Unfortunately,” Satan(Lucifer) reluctantly admitted.

“Talk,” I demanded, making sure it came out as a command.

“What’s there to talk about?” Mammon questioned.

“We heard the scream, Mammon,” Lucifer(Satan) informed his brother. “Tell us what you did.”

“I didn’t do nothin’...”

“He’s lying!” one man shouted, pointing an accusatory finger right at Mammon. “He killed her! He killed that woman!”

“That’s right!” the woman who had screamed earlier piped up, throwing up her own accusatory finger. “He stabbed her in the back with a knife!”

“No I didn’t!” Mammon snapped. “I’m just an innocent bystander! Honest! I didn’t kill nobody!”

“Then tell us what really happened,” Satan(Lucifer) demanded, arms crossed as he glared at his brother. “And you better be telling the truth.”

“Oh he’ll tell the truth,” I promised, fixing Mammon with a cold glare. “You’re going to tell us the full story, and don’t you dare try to fudge any details.”

Almost immediately, Mammon began to sing like a bloody canary.

“I was looking for the dining car like I said I would, y’know, for the pictures and the grub and all that. But then, I couldn’t find the damn thing! I kept checking all the different cars, then I came to one with a sign saying it was reserved for a private party. Of course, I still needed to go through it if I wanted to get to the dining car, so I decided to stuff the sign in the garbage and act like I didn’t know it was there.”

Three simultaneous groans issued forth from me, Lucifer, and Satan.

“You really are the scum of the realms...” Lucifer(Satan) grumbled.

“HEY!” Mammon exclaimed before we all fixed him with glares. “A-anyway, when I got into the car, it was pitch black! I couldn’t see a damn thing! But then, I started hearing chanting, like from a spirit medium, and I realized I’d walked in on some sort of weird ritual. They were trying to summon a ghost or something, so when I asked them what the hell they were doing, they suddenly thought  _ I _ was a spirit! There was a bunch of screaming, then someone stabbed the medium in the back. Just before the medium croaked, she said my name, and I naturally responded. I mean, she decided to say my name with her final breath, so why shouldn’t I? But then, that led all the other crazy people in her circle to start accusing  _ ME _ of murdering her! So naturally, I decided to book it, and here we are.”

There was a long moment of stunned silence as we all just stared at Mammon.

“You’re a complete idiot,” Satan(Lucifer) grimaced.

“An utterly hopeless idiot,” Lucifer(Satan) agreed.

“Look, I told the truth, you know I did!” Mammon snapped. “I didn’t do it, so how about defending me here?!”

“You never think before you act,” Satan(Lucifer) went on, going into full rant mode. “That’s why you always get yourself into these situations, you complete and utter moron. If you had just kept your mouth shut instead of letting your overinflated ego make a fool out of yourself, none of this would have happened.”

“Seriously, Mammon,” I said, shaking my head. “I mean, a dying woman says your name on her final breath. Anyone with even a small bit of brain power is immediately going to think you’re the one who killed her! But no, the  _ Great _ Mammon just refuses to use his  _ brain _ for once in his life!!”

“Alright! Alright! I get it!” Mammon exclaimed, angry tears in his eyes. “I fucked up! I’m stupid! I’m the biggest piece of scum in the realms!  _ I get it! _ But I didn’t kill nobody! Honest!”

I sighed, rubbing my face before running my fingers through my hair.

“Well, guess we better do something about this,” I reluctantly said, turning to the other two brothers. “Either of you have any suggestions?”

Before Satan(Lucifer) could so much as open his mouth, Lucifer(Satan) stepped forward, grinning from ear to ear.

“Only one version of events is ever true!” he declared loudly.

Everyone in the car blinked in confusion, Mammon letting out a sniff as he was pulled from his angry sorrow by sheer befuddlement. I wiggled a pinkie in my ear to try and stifle a sudden ringing that had manifested.

“Come again?” I questioned.

“It’s a line from ‘The Mid-Fall Murders,’ a crime suspense drama I’m particularly fond of. The lead inspector, Sir Adler, uses the phrase quite often. It’s his trademark, you see.” He then straightened up, taking full advantage of Lucifer’s height advantage and large, furred coat to add a dramatic flair to his form. “‘The perpetrators had best give themselves up now while they still have the chance. Because I  _ will _ find them’.” His serious demeanor became something a bit more giddy as his smile returned. “I never thought the day would come when I’d actually get to say that in real life...”

Satan(Lucifer) gave his possessed body an incredulous look, but eventually just shrugged.

“I’m not sure I completely understand what this is about, but I can feel that you’re motivated, and that’s what’s important.”

“Alright you three,” one of the men holding Mammon spoke up. “Enough jokes. If this man is the killer, we’ll just hand him over to Scotland Yard at the next station-”

“That won’t be necessary,” Satan(Lucifer) declared, a strange layer to his voice that I just managed to make out before Lucifer(Satan) clapped his hands over my ears. “Release Mammon, then all of you will go wait in the dining car until we can resolve this matter.”

Almost as if in a trance, everyone in the train car, witnesses and crew members alike straightened up as their eyes glazed over. Those holding Mammon immediately released him, the greedy demon stumbling forward before adjusting his jacket and wiping his nose on his sleeve. One by one, every human save for myself walked single file out of the train car. Once they were gone, Lucifer(Satan) removed his hands from my ears.

“Um… what just happened?” I questioned.

“A hypnotic suggestion,” Lucifer(Satan) explained. “It’s something most demons can do, especially upper-level demons like us.”

I swallowed hard, more than a little nervous about my companions having that sort of power over humans, especially Lucifer. I don’t care if we’ve managed to break the ice, if he managed to hypnotize me into spilling the beans, I’d be joining the woman Mammon supposedly stabbed to death. Almost as if sensing my distress, Satan(Lucifer) turned to me.

“You have nothing to fear, Belle,” he assured me as we began making our way towards the private party car. “Diavolo has explicitly forbidden anyone from doing that to you, hence Satan’s interference while I dealt with our audience.”

“Is that why Asmo’s charm powers don’t work on me?” I questioned. “Because Diavolo put me on a ‘Do Not Hypnotize’ list?”

“That ain’t how it works, Belle,” Mammon shot down. “You can still be charmed and hypnotized and shit, we’re just not supposed to do it. As for why Asmo can’t charm ya, your guess is as good as ours. His charm is even more powerful than a hypnotic suggestion, and you didn’t even blink.”

“Every now and again, there comes a human who possesses such immunities,” Lucifer(Satan) remarked thoughtfully as we crossed the train and opened the door to the private party car. “In almost every case, the person turns out to be a witch or a sorcerer, possessing exceptional magical power. But in your case-”

Satan(Lucifer)’s arm shot out, stopping us from walking any further and cutting off our conversation. We all froze in place, looking around the private party room. As Mammon described, it looked like he had interrupted some sort of arcane ritual. There was a large number of candles arranged on a large table that dominated the room. Several chairs were erected around it, and our murder victim was on the ground on her side beside one of them, the murder weapon still sticking out of her back.

“Poor woman,” I said softly, bowing my head in respect.

Satan(Lucifer)’s eyes narrowed as he crouched down next to the woman’s body, trying to get a better look at her. From what I could tell, she was a middle aged woman with long black hair streaked with a little silver. She was dressed in respectable clothes, though now they were covered in blood, and she had a strange necklace around her neck. I stepped closer, getting a better look. As I did, I saw that it was quite similar to my pact bracelet, possessing a couple of gems engraved with clearly demonic symbols.

“Poor witch woman,” I amended.

“Not just any witch...” Satan(Lucifer) groaned. “This is Grisella.”

Lucifer(Satan) tensed.

“No...” he let out.

“Who’s Grisella?” I asked.

“The witch we were going to see,” Satan(Lucifer) answered. “She’s our murder victim...”

…

We all regrouped in the dining car, where everyone involved in this entire production was waiting for us. Mammon hid behind me and Satan(Lucifer) as Lucifer(Satan) stood before everyone and addressed them.

“Alright,” he declared. “I will now prove to you all that my brother Mammon, the supposed murderer, is innocent of the crime.”

“Innocent?!” one man snapped, jumping to his feet and slamming his palms on the table he was at. “The woman called out his name right as she died!”

“Indeed she did,” Lucifer(Satan) replied with a nod. “That is because she actually knew him.”

“Wait, what?” one woman questioned. “What did you say?”

“Just before she died, someone she knew appeared before her unexpectedly. It seemed that’s why she said his name in those last moments.”

“If that’s true...” the woman theorized, “then she might not have been trying to name her killer after all.”

“But- but-!” another man began stammering, “that man walked into the lounge, and moments later, she was killed! The timing is a little too perfect to be a coincidence!”

“I will admit that the circumstances are indeed damning for Mammon,” Lucifer(Satan) conceded. “It’s only natural to assume the worst of him, especially with the current evidence.”

“Hey!” Mammon shouted, peeking out from his hiding spot. “I thought you were supposed to be proving me innocent!”

“Just give him a minute, Mammon,” I admonished. “He’s getting there.”

“Are you certain of that?” Satan(Lucifer) asked, shaking his head slightly. “To me, it just seems like he’s enjoying himself.”

“Clearly, you’ve never seen any Sherlock Holmes media,” I countered. “One can have a good time and still solve a murder if one is in the right mindset, and I do believe Satan is.”

“By the way,” Lucifer(Satan) spoke up, regaining everyone’s attention. “Where at the table was the spirit medium Grisella? Where was she sitting?”

“Um… in the chair facing away from the door,” a woman answered. “The door that young man entered from.”

“I see, so she had his back to the door,” Lucifer(Satan) nodded. “And knowing my brother, I’m assuming he was rather loud and obnoxious when he entered, drawing everyone’s attention.”

There were nods and murmurs of affirmation.

“Meaning everyone turned to see who was intruding on your session, including Grisella. This means that she was facing Mammon’s direction, and did  _ not _ have her back to him.”

It clicked in my head in that moment and I brought my fist down on my palm.

“Of course!” I exclaimed. “Because Grisella was facing Mammon at the time of the murder, he couldn’t have stabbed her in the back unless he was hugging her or something!”

“Precisely Belle,” Lucifer(Satan) said with a grin and a nod. “And since there’s no blood anywhere on Mammon or his clothes, we know he never even touched her, let alone hugged her and stabbed her. Thus, Mammon is innocent of the crime of murder.”

“But there’s still a killer loose on the train!” one man pointed out. “If it’s not that Mammon fellow, then we’re back to square one!”

“Fear not,” Lucifer(Satan) assured the man. “We will seal off the lounge until we reach the next station, and everyone will remain in their cabins until further notice. This crime will be solved, I give you my word.” He then proudly crossed his arms and smiled. “Only one version of events is ever true!”

…

We returned to our cabin not long after this, and while Mammon was happy about being acquitted, Satan(Lucifer) was understandably upset about Grisella’s death. He slumped on one of the beds, sighing forlornly. I sat down next to him, hesitating for a moment before placing a hand on his shoulder.

“Hey,” I told him, causing him to look up. “I’m sorry about Grisella. I know you were hoping she’d help...”

“With her dead, we can’t get this curse lifted...” Satan(Lucifer) bemoaned. “This entire trip was for nothing, and I still have the speech tomorrow.”

“Hey, don’t think like that,” I insisted. “We’ll figure something out, I promise.”

Before the conversation could continue, a strange, cold wind seemed to blow through the cabin. I shuddered a bit, pulling my jacket closer around me.

“Mammon, did you open the window?” I questioned. “It’s cold in here.”

“No,” Mammon answered, looking at me confused. “Besides, it ain’t cold in here. Frankly, it’s kinda warm.”

“No, it’s freezing,” I countered. “Like I just stepped in-”

“ _ You want cold, try being dead girly, _ ” an ethereal woman’s voice grumbled, shocking all four of us. “ _ Honestly, I can’t believe this. Here I am in the company of three demons I know by name, and I can’t even interact with them. What a truly miserable twist of fate. _ ”

“Okay, what the fuck was that?” Mammon asked, looking around frantically.

“That voice...” Satan(Lucifer) spoke up, getting back to his feet.

“As do I,” Lucifer(Satan) added, glancing around. “Grisella? Is that you?”

“Wait, isn’t Grisella dead?” I asked. “Does that mean we’re talking to her ghost?”

“ _ Well, this one’s a little slow on the uptake, _ ” Grisella’s voice remarked as a chill ran up my spine. “ _ But, she does seem a little green, so I guess that’s allowed. Now then, let’s see if I can... _ ”

There was a shimmer over in one of the corners as Grisella began to manifest. She was see-through and completely monochrome, but looked exactly like she did when we found her body. Once she finished with that, she flattened out the skirt she was wearing before turning to us.

“ _ Now, as the young woman said, I am, due to unforeseen circumstances, dead. _ ”

“Unforseen-” Mammon cut himself off, holding up a hand. “You’re a  **_witch!_ ** You’re supposed to be able to see the future and shit! Did you even bother to check and see how you were gonna die?!”

“ _ I was aware my time would be coming to an end while on this trip, yes. However, the how and exact when eluded me. Besides, even if I did know it, there is no cheating death. It comes for us all, and when our time comes, there’s no changing it. _ ”

“You seem oddly at peace with being dead,” I noted.

“ _ I suppose I am. However, I’d at least like to know why I was killed before I pass on. _ ”

“And you’re telling us this because...” Satan(Lucifer) prompted, rolling his hand in a “go on” motion.

“ _ Because, I know why you came here, Lucifer, _ ” Grisella said with a smirk and a mischievous glint in her ghostly eye. 

“Ah, I see,” Satan(Lucifer) said with a nod, sounding more than a little eager. “Well then, we will solve this mystery for you, Grisella.”

“What?” Mammon whined. “That sounds like a bunch of work! Why do we have to do a thing like that?”

Satan(Lucifer) groaned, putting his face in his hands.

“Belle, kindly explain to this idiot why we’re cooperating with Grisella,” he requested.

“Hey!” Mammon snapped, stamping his foot. “Who’re you calling an idiot?!”

I slapped Mammon upside the head before shaking my own.

“Have you forgotten the entire reason we came to the human world?” I said. “We need Grisella to lift the curse. You know, the entire reason Lucifer and Satan are in each other’s bodies?”

“ _ Exactly, _ ” Grisella nodded. “ _ I can see the effect of my cursed tome even in my current state. I also still retain my power. Solve my murder, and I’ll reverse the curse. I give you my word. _ ”

“Thankfully, it shouldn’t be too hard to solve,” Lucifer(Satan) commented, pacing slightly as he thought about what he knew. “There were four chairs at the table, one of which belonged to Grisella. That means there are only three suspects.”

“ _ I can tell you who they are, _ ” Grisella offered, floating over to face Lucifer(Satan). “ _ The first of the three is a man named Noah. He’s someone I’m well acquainted with. He hoped to become my apprentice one day, and was also the one who introduced me to the couple I was performing a seance for. There names are Lucas and Sophia, a pair of siblings hoping to speak to the spirit of their younger sister. _ ”

“I’m guessing Sophia’s the woman who was screaming,” I remarked, tapping my chin. “I do remember her being held by another man, who must have been Lucas.”

“That leaves Noah,” Satan(Lucifer) added. “Mammon, was he in the dining car when we proved your innocence?”

“Uh…. maybe? I mean, I’m pretty sure he was part of that whole witch hunt against me.” Mammon gulped, letting out a nervous laugh before turning to Grisella. “No offense.”

“ _ None taken. _ ”

“So then, I guess we only need to torture each one of the separately until we find our answer,” Lucifer(Satan) proposed, much to my shock.

“Yes, that shouldn’t take long at all,” Satan(Lucifer) agreed as I grew more and more horrified.

“Yes!” Mammon cheered. “Payback for treating the Great Mammon like a criminal! I say we start with Sophia, the screaming one.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!” I interjected, waving my arms and getting everyone’s attention. “We are  _ not _ torturing people! For one, two of them are innocent and don’t deserve to be tortured!”

Mammon laughed, wrapping an arm around me.

“Belle, belle, belle,” he chuckled, shaking his head. “There’s no such thing as an innocent human. Everyone has some sort of hidden nasty secret deep in their soul. Nobody is completely-”

“Mammon, sit down, shut up, and let me work.”

Mammon’s mouth snapped shut and he dropped down on the bed with a hard thud. He glared at me angrily, trying to rise, only to find that his butt was basically locked onto the bed. Satisfied, I turned to Grisella, who was eying me slightly and smirking.

“ _ Maybe you’re not as green as I thought, girly. _ ”

“Grisella, what do you remember about your death? Any small detail could be seriously helpful.”

“ _ Oh, I remember everything, girly. I can still feel the pain of the knife piercing my flesh. It felt like it was being thrust up from below. It burned like a fire... _ ” she rubbed her back absentmindedly. “ _ I couldn’t forget that feeling if I tried. Sadly, I didn’t see who did it, so I can’t help you there. _ ”

“Thank you,” I smiled before turning to Mammon. “If I return your voice, will you be nice and answer my questions?”

Mammon glared at me, fists clenched before giving me a reluctant nod.

“Alright, then you may speak again.”

“Ugh, finally! I hate when you do that to me! It’s like my jaw seizes up and I can’t even control it! Do you have any idea how that feels?”

“Just tell me what you saw when you entered the lounge. Where was everyone sitting?”

Mammon glowered a bit, then just sighed before answering.

“Well, after my eyes adjusted to the candlelight, I could see the four people around the table. Grisella was sitting with her back to me, the entire reason I got blamed. The two guys were on either side of her, and the girl was on the opposite end of the table.” He snapped his fingers. “Oh yeah. One of the guys was wearing this real flashy and super lame shirt.”

“ _ That would be Noah, _ ” Grisella noted. “ _ He’s a… unique character who enjoys making a statement. _ ”

I thought back to the people in the dining car, remembering a man wearing a rather odd-looking shirt. I filed that away so I knew who we were dealing with.

“Anything else you remember?” I pressed.

“Well, everyone jumped to their feet when I spoke up, except for that Noah guy. He stayed in his chair.”

I perked when Mammon said that.

“Did he now?” I said with a smirk. “And Grisella, you said when you were stabbed, it felt like the knife was coming up from below, yes?”

“ _ I did, yes. _ ”

I grinned, resisting the urge to pop the collar of my jacket. 

“Gentlemen, stow the torture implements,” I declared, drawing the attention of the flip flop brothers. “I have solved the mystery.”

“Wait, what?” Lucifer(Satan) gasped.

“Are you serious?” Satan(Lucifer) questioned.

“Yep,” I nodded, smirking. “Come on, let’s gather our three witnesses in the dining car. We’re going to end this mystery the human way.”

“So… no torture?” Mammon asked meekly.

“No torture.”

“Very well then,” Satan(Lucifer) said with a nod. “We’ll do this your way. Everyone, do as Belle said and gather our witnesses. We’ll meet in the dining car and bring an end to this entire farce.”

The three demons left, Mammon still upset about the lack of torture as I just smiled and crossed my arms. Grisella floated over to me, following me as I made my way to the dining car.

“ _ Girly, _ ” she called out. “ _ Your name’s Belle, right? _ ”

“That it is,” I nodded.

“ _ I have to say, I’m surprised you actually got Lucifer of all demons to listen to a human. He clearly trusts you, doesn’t he? _ ”

“It’s been a long road getting here, but I guess so.”

“ _ Just be warned, _ ” Grisella insisted, her face turning serious, “ _ nothing lasts forever. Sometime in the near future, he will lose every last ounce of trust he’s put in you. Believe me or don’t, the choice is yours, but this is the future I see for you. Take heed… _ ”

She then began floating ahead as I mulled over her words. My thoughts immediately went to my plans with Belphie and trying to get him out of the attic. I had been confident in my plan now that Lucifer was beginning to like me, but with Grisella’s warning, I was growing worried. Still, I was in way too deep to back out now, and I had to see this through to the end. Steeling my nerves and shoving my anxiety aside for another day, I decided to focus on the current issue: bringing a murderer to justice.

…

“Hey,” Lucas greeted me as I stepped into the dining car. “Is what I hear true? You know who killed her?”

“What, so now you fancy yourself an amateur detective, do you?” Noah sneered, crossing his arms and rolling his eyes. “Well pardon me if I’m not interested in playing along with this little game of yours.”

“I have to agree with these young men,” one of the crewmembers admitted. “Maybe we should let Scotland Yard sort this out when we get to the next station.”

“Are you suggesting that we just sit here and just wait for someone else to be killed?” Sophia demanded. “I don’t think so! If she says she’s solved the crime, I want to hear her out.”

“She’s barely out of secondary school!” Noah snapped. “There’s no way she knows who did this!”

“Okay, one, I’m 25 thank you very much,” I interjected. “And second… well, I’ll let my friends say the second bit.”

I then covered my ears as Satan(Lucifer) stepped forward.

“All of you will listen to what Belle has to say,” he demanded, that same layer of magic from before in his words.

The three witnesses and the gathered crewmembers all straightened up, nodding robotically. I lowered my hands, smiling gratefully at Satan(Lucifer).

“Thank you,” I told him.

“Go on,” he ushered. “Show us this  _ human way _ you spoke of.”

I nodded, then turned back to the gathered crowd.

“As a good friend of mine likes to say, only one version of events is ever true,” I began. “And in this case, the truth is…” I turned and pointed an accusatory finger right at Noah. “Noah is the one who murdered Grisella!”

“ **_WHAT?!_ ** ” Noah snapped, jumping to his feet. “Why would I kill her?! I respected and admired Grisella! I wanted to be her apprentice for fuck sake! Besides, where’s your proof?!”

I glanced over at Lucifer(Satan), who was fidgeting nervously. I could see in his eyes that he had pieced it together like I had. With a smirk, I gestured for him to join me with my chin. Seeing it, he all but jumped out of his seat. With a massive grin on his face, he came over and stood by me.

“You want proof?” he said with a satisfied and sadistic smirk. “Well then, listen closely. The handle of the knife that was found in Grisella’s back was pointed slightly downward, correct?”

“Yes, that’s right,” Lucas said with a nod.

“And when Grisella was murdered, both you and your sister were standing, correct?” I asked.

“Well, yes,” Sophia agreed. “I mean, it was just a natural reaction. We just jumped when that loud young man came storming in.”

“And yet, Noah remained seated the entire time,” Lucifer(Satan) pointed out. “And since the knife was at a lower angle, it could only have been put there by someone shorter than Grisella.”

“Or, perhaps, sitting down so he was shorter than her,” I added. “Because Lucas and Sophia were standing, if they had tried to kill Grisella, the knife angle would have been much higher.”

By this point, Noah was sputtering and turning pale, sweat dripping down his face.

“In other words,” Lucifer(Satan) concluded, “Noah is the only one who could have used that knife. Only one version of events is ever true, and the evidence doesn’t lie.”

“Well, Noah?” I pressed. “Anything to say for yourself?”

Realizing he was caught, and with the entire car staring at him, Noah collapsed in his seat like a poorly made card tower.

“...it’s true...” he mumbled. “I did it. I killed Grisella.”

I could feel Grisella’s ghost behind me, staring at Noah with shock and hurt. She moved over to him, but no one outside of me or the brothers seemed to notice.

“You claim to have admired her, and yet you murdered her,” Satan(Lucifer) spoke up. “Why?”

“I really did admire her,” Noah insisted. “Genuinely, I did. She had true power, and time and time again, I asked her to allow me to become her apprentice! But-” he sniffed and looked ready to cry, “she refused to accept me. Because she didn’t have faith in me!”

Mammon snorted, crossing his eyes.

“See, this is what I meant, Belle,” he declared. “He couldn’t accept rejection, so she had to die in his eyes. Just like a human.”

“I even told her I’d give up everything I owned if she’d take me on as her apprentice!” Noah went on. “But she never accepted me, and so my life has no meaning anymore...”

“I don’t believe it...” Lucas gasped.

“What were you thinking?!” Sophia snapped.

The crewmembers moved to take Noah into custody as Lucifer(Satan) and I shared a grin.

“We did it,” I told him. “We solved the mystery.”

“Yep,” he nodded. “One one version of events is ever true!”

“Alright, alright,” Satan(Lucifer) commented. “How about you stop making that smug face when you’re in my body.”

…

Later on, we were back in our cabin. Lucifer(Satan) was still quite happy with the entire mystery ordeal, and I’ll admit, I was too. I mean, how often do you get to solve an actual murder mystery? Mammon just seemed to be happy that the ordeal was over, along with Satan(Lucifer). Grisella was sitting on one of the beds, seemingly in contemplation of everything she’d learned.

“ _ Noah was a circus performer once, specializing in knife throwing, _ ” she remarked, much to my surprise. “ _ I knew my time was coming, so I turned him down as an apprentice. _ ” She let out a small laugh. “ _ How ironic that in preparing for my demise, I ensured it would come through. _ ”

“Why not just tell him that much?” I asked. “Tell him you knew you would die soon and he wouldn’t be able to complete any apprenticeship.”

“ _ It’s not that simple, girly, _ ” she told me. “ _ While I did trust Noah, I couldn’t just tell him I knew when I was gonna die. Besides, even if I had told him, something else would have happened to ensure my fate came to pass. _ ”

“More than that,” Lucifer(Satan) spoke up, sitting down next to me, “Noah didn’t exactly seem like the most stable individual to begin with.”

“ _ I suppose that’s my fault, _ ” Grisella lamented, letting out a sigh. “ _ He was responsible, dedicated, and serious, but my failure to acknowledge any of that drove him to the point of killing me... _ ”

“Maybe so,” Mammon chimed in, “but even so, that kind of obsession is seriously bad. Noah reeked of Greed, and who’s to say what he would have done with any power you gave him.”

“Huh,” Satan(Lucifer) spoke up. “I forget that there are times when you can be genuinely insightful. However, going over what ifs is pointless at this point. We cannot change what has happened.”

“ _ Indeed, _ ” Grisella nodded, rising to her feet. “ _ Now, you have done your part as promised, and my murder has been solved. Seems it’s time for me to return the favor. But first, may I ask something of you, Satan. Do you know why I gave you that cursed book all those years ago? _ ”

Lucifer(Satan)’s eyebrows furrowed for a moment as Grisella smirked.

“ _ I knew it would be the catalyst for change in your relationship with Lucifer, even if that’s not what you wanted back then. _ ”

“No, it wasn’t,” Lucifer(Satan) answered, looking a bit angry. “Which is exactly why I made sure to stay away from it. And yet, despite all my efforts...”

Grisella laughed a bit.

“ _ Like I said, you can’t change fate. All you can do is accept it, even demons like you. You must endeavor to make the best of the hand you’re dealt, no matter what it may be. Always remember that. _ ”

Before another word could be said, Grisella reached out her arms, palms outward and fingers splayed. She made a motion as if she was grabbing something, light coalescing in her hands. Then, in a blinding flash of movement, she pulled her arms back and threw them in the opposite direction. Lucifer and Satan ended up taking several steps back as the light struck them both hard in the chest. Both blinked, then patted themselves down.

“You two okay?” Mammon asked. “Are you two back to normal?”

“Please say yes,” I begged quietly.

After the two stopped patting themselves down, Lucifer adjusted his coat as his usual, serious expression returned, albeit with an undertone of relief.

“Well, it’s about time.”

“Indeed,” Satan agreed, pulling his jacket off his shoulders and sliding one arm in before just tossing the other over his shoulder. “We’re finally ourselves again.”

“You  _ had _ to get me caught up in this problem of yours, huh?” Mammon jeered, sticking his hands on his hips. “I went through hell for you guys, you know… I’m not gonna be happy until I get a reward for everything I’ve done. A  _ serious _ reward considering how much of my precious time and brainpower I had to put into this.”

“Mammon,” I cut in. “This entire trip, you’ve done nothing but cause trouble and make a general nuisance yourself. And as for the ‘brainpower’ bit, Satan and I did all the work, not you.”

“Speaking of Satan,” Lucifer chimed in, turning to his brother, “I want you to give tomorrow’s speech.”

Satan blinked, straightening up and facing Lucifer.

“Wait, me? But that speech is supposed to be given-”

“By the chosen representative of the student council,” Lucifer interrupted. “I know I can trust you to fulfill that role. You’re not going to refuse are you?”

“ _ Refuse? _ ” Satan replied, shaking his head and cracking. “You must be kidding. By the time I’m done, Lord Diavolo won’t be able to stop gushing about what an amazing speech I gave, and how it was even better than anything you could have done.”

Lucifer cracked a smile, the banter between him and Satan seeming much more playful than hurtful.

“Well, someone is certainly setting the bar high. I look forward to seeing you deliver on that.”

Satisfied, Grisella began to fade away into nothing as Satan and Lucifer continued their playful banter. Mammon still seemed disappointed that he wouldn’t be rewarded for his “efforts”, but I personally was just happy. I laid down on the bed, watching the three brothers with a smile on my face, enjoying the peaceful moment while I could.


	24. The Dinner Party

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A dinner party provides some enlightening information for Belle about her place in the program

Satan’s speech went over amazingly well, everyone applauding him and even giving him a standing ovation. Diavolo, Barbatos, and Lucifer were all impressed by the speech. When it ended, everyone gathered at Ristorante Six, a very posh restaurant in the upper parts of the Devildom. The only one absent was Levi, who had all but begged Lucifer not to make him stay. Lucifer, being in a rare good mood, agreed.

“Alright,” Lucifer began, rising to his feet and holding up a champagne glass of demonus, a sort of Devildom alcohol, “does everyone have a glass now?”

“You know it!” Mammon cheered, raising his glass over his head. “Let’s do this!”

Beel was stuffing his face with the various entrees we had ordered, a big smile on his face in between bites. Asmo glanced over at him, looking annoyed.

“Beel, stop that!” he admonished. “None of us have even started eating yet!”

“Oh well,” Diavolo laughed, completely nonplussed about the entire thing. “It’s alright. Why don’t we go ahead and have our toast.”

“Alright then,” Satan declared, raising his glass up. “Here’s to lifting the body switching curse on me and Lucifer!”

“And congratulations to Satan on delivering a fantastic speech to the entire student body,” Lucifer added, his smile never fading.

“Cheers!” we all exclaimed, glasses clinking together.

We all drank as our waiter came over to check on us. Of course, Beel immediately began ordering more food, basically requesting the entire menu!

“Beel, if you keep this up, you’re gonna clean the entire restaurant out,” I lightly admonished. “More than that, Lord Diavolo is footing the bill, and I doubt even  _ he  _ could afford this much.”

“Clearly you underestimate the size of the royal coffers,” Mammon interjected, refilling my glass of demonus.

“Yes, don’t worry about it, Belle,” Diavolo insisted. “I wouldn’t have offered to buy if I wasn’t certain I could accommodate Beelzebub’s gluttony, or Mammon’s greed. You have nothing to worry about.”

We were all enjoying ourselves, laughing, chatting, and just being friendly with one another. Many drinks were shared, and the food was beyond amazing. After taking a sip of demonus, I glanced over at Lucifer and Diavolo, seeing them quite deep in conversation. 

“I’m still surprised with everything you and Satan went through during your time in each other’s bodies,” Diavolo commented.

“Indeed,” Barbatos agreed, still managing to appear like a suave butler even as he enjoyed himself for once. “Leviathan’s videogame, a mystery adventure on a human world train, it sounds like you’ve had 500 years worth of excitement in a single weekend.”

“You make it sound like we were on vacation,” Lucifer remarked, sighing and shaking his head. “I can assure you, it was less exciting and more exhausting. We’re all just grateful that it’s over.”

“Maybe so, but I’m incredibly jealous,” Diavolo insisted. “It really isn’t fair you got to have so much fun while I was stuck back here. A vacation in the human world sounds so wonderful.”

I let out a laugh, unable to keep it contained.

“Lord Diavolo, sometimes you remind me of a little kid the way you talk,” I said.

“And as I just said, it  _ wasn’t _ a vacation,” Lucifer insisted.

“And yet. You didn’t deny having fun though, did you?” Barbatos pointed out, a teasing smile on his face.

“Now hold on,” Lucifer insisted, actually looking a bit flustered. “That’s not what I-”

“Come on, Lucifer,” I insisted. “You had to have enjoyed yourself at least a little. I mean, you’ve still got the chocolate frog keychain on your D.D.D.”

Sure enough, the small, chocolate frog was dangling from the corner of his D.D.D, which was poking out of his shirt pocket. Both Diavolo and Barbatos took a look, the green-haired butler demon smirking a bit.

“I recognize that trinket,” he spoke up. “It’s a rare Harry Potter keychain only available in Kings Cross Station. In fact, as I recall, Belle, Satan, and Mammon have identical keychains.”

“Yep,” I declared, pulling my keys from my bag to show off my keychain. “I think Satan put his on his phone too, and Mammon put his on the loop of his pants.”

“So all of you have matching souvenirs?” Diavolo questioned, actually sounding jealous as he did. “And you didn’t bring anything back for us?”

“It would appear so, sir,” Barbatos said.

“Both of you, stop it,” Lucifer warned sternly.

“Hey, I’m sure you’ll get a chance to go to the human world another time,” I spoke up. “You and Barbatos can go together, and on an actual vacation.”

“Don’t give him false hope, Belle,” Lucifer told me, shaking his head. “Diavolo is the Lord of the Devildom, he can’t just simply take time off to visit the human world.”

“Oh I don’t know about that,” Diavolo mused, stroking his chin slightly. “I imagine it would be quite fun. Naturally, you’ll be coming with us as well, Lucifer.”

“Perhaps we can find some business to attend to up there,” Barbatos offered. “Something to use as an excuse to pay a visit.”

“An excellent idea,” Diavolo nodded, grinning at the prospect. “Oh, I know just the thing. We could visit the witch Artemisia.”

“Absolutely not,” Lucifer declared. “Sadly, I owe her more than a few favors...”

“Let me guess,” I deadpanned. “Mammon?”

“Mammon...” Lucifer replied.

“Hey!” Mammon called from across the table. “I can here you talking shit about me!”

“Shut up and eat, before I tell Beel you’re done!” I threatened.

“He’s done?” Beel questioned, already greedily eying Mammon’s plate. “Can I have what’s left?”

He was already reaching for the food, leading to Mammon yelping and diving to try and protect his food. I laughed at the sight, shaking my head a bit at the sight. Diavolo seemed to laugh too before placing a hand on my shoulder.

“It seems you and Mammon share quite an attachment,” he remarked.

“I must say, it’s strange to see him showing such attachment towards someone for a reason that doesn’t involve money,” Barbatos admitted.

“Let’s just say he definitely lives up to his sin,” I commented. “The guy is so greedy and wants me all to himself, to the point he will physically fight his brothers for me. It can get annoying, especially when I’m enjoying some quiet time, but I guess I’ve gotten used to it.”

“Is that why you really invited Belle along on your human world trip?” Diavolo questioned. “Or perhaps it was something a bit more selfless. Maybe you were allowing her a chance to return home.”

Lucifer didn’t answer, his eyes not on me. I let that thought sink in, and the thoughts of returning home began to resurface. I’ll admit, aside from talking about my sister, I hadn’t really thought about home that much. In fact, the idea of returning to my dull, boring flat and some dead-end job to pay off student loans just seemed… unappealing.

“Even if he had offered it, I doubt I would have taken it,” I admitted. “Oddly enough, despite all the insanity and craziness down here… I’ve enjoyed my time in the Devildom.”

“I’m happy to hear that, Belle,” Lucifer said with a smile before turning to Diavolo. “Perhaps that dream of yours is becoming a reality, Diavolo. I will admit, I had my reservations about Belle, but she has gained my trust.”

“Thanks Lucifer,” I told him, smiling. “That means alot to me.”

“Well then, I must say that this truly is a moment of celebration,” Diavolo declared. “Lucifer, would you mind fetching another bottle of demonus? I’m afraid the wait staff is a bit preoccupied with Beelzebub’s food order.”

Lucifer nodded, rising to his feet and going to fetch the bottle. Once he was gone, Diavolo turned to me, his smile warm and grateful.

“Thank you, Belle,” he told me. “For everything. I know all you’ve had to go through during your stay here is more than you ever expected, but you’ve gone above and beyond for this exchange program. Clearly, we made the right choice in selecting you.”

Those words brought up what Belphie had told me awhile back. He’d told me he’d heard rumors I wasn’t a normal exchange student, and that I had been chosen for a reason. Curiosity getting the better of me, I spoke up, knowing this would probably be my best, if only, chance.

“Lord Diavolo… why _ was _ I chosen for the exchange program? I mean, There had to be more qualified people for the program, like Solomon. Why pick some nobody girl from small town Texas?”

“Honestly, I can’t answer that. There was a huge stack of papers listing countless candidates for the program, and out of all of them, Lucifer picked you. I was simply the one who gave approval.”

“Seriously?” I asked. “Then… it was just random? No special meaning or anything?”

Diavolo’s face grew serious and he turned so he was facing me directly.

“Belle, I believe that all of us have a mission in life. Mine is to bring progress and stability to the three realms. Something happened once, something that made me firmly believe that.”

“What was it?” I asked.

Barbatos just shook his head, a solemn look on his face. Diavolo himself looked a bit morbid, as if remembering something tragic. My mind drifted to the Fall, when Lucifer and the brothers fell to the Devildom. Considering the turmoil that must have caused, I can only imagine how it was for those involved all those millenia ago. After a moment, Diavolo cleared his throat, clearly changing the subject.

“On the subject of missions, it’s possible that yours in life is to influence Lucifer and his brothers in some way. Whatever influence you do end up having, I hope it turns out to be beneficial to them.”

“I hope so too,” I replied, sitting back in my chair, idly fingering my pact bracelet as I watched the brothers. “I’ve grown surprisingly fond of them since coming here. They’re my friends, all of them.”

“Friends,” Diavolo mused. “Such a powerful commodity. Keep them close, Belle. I feel they will be needing your friendship more than ever in the coming days.”

That made me blink. I straightened up, turning to Diavolo.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Diavolo didn’t answer, and Lucifer soon returned with the demonus, essentially cutting off the conversation. The words continued turning over and over in my head, along with Grisella’s warning back on the train. I set down my glass, my stomach churning a bit. I didn’t know what was going on, but I had a feeling things were about to take a turn…

…

Later on, all of us were walking back to the House of Lamentation, still high from the party. The brothers were laughing as Beel snacked on a massive doggy bag that had been made for him before we left. Mammon was telling a rather exaggerated version of the events that had occured during the entire body swap misadventure. However, he stopped mid-sentence, turning towards me and Lucifer.

“Oi! Slowpokes! What’s the big idea?! Pick up the pace or we’re gonna leave you behind!”

I blinked, coming out of a small daze I was in, still mulling over the various warnings I had received. Lucifer just let out a small sigh, shaking his head.

“Just go on ahead, we’ll catch up to you,” he called back. “And there’s no need to yell.”

Mammon shrugged and kept walking, Lucifer rolling his eyes and crossing his arms.

“Why does he always have to be so loud?” he asked, to which I just shrugged as well. “But, so long as we’re in some semblance of privacy, I wish to ask… what were you and Diavolo discussing?”

“I was asking him about my being chosen for the exchange student,” I explained. “I was curious about why I was chosen, and how.”

“Is that all?” he mused. “Well, there wasn’t actually any particularly deep or meaningful reason for your selection. I was fed up with going through the lists of candidates, a rather large stack of them. That’s when a breeze suddenly blew in through the window. It scattered them all across the room, made quite a mess. One of the applications just happened to fall at my feet, yours. I picked it up and decided to go with that one.”

“Oh,” I let out.

“You sound almost disappointed,” he remarked, smirking a bit.

“Not really. I mean, I kinda hoped but...” I just sighed and adjusted my jacket. “Forget it...”

Just then, his D.D.D began to ring. He picked it up, glancing at the caller ID.

“Oh, it seems Levi is calling me,” he noted before glancing back at me. “Before I forget, there’s one thing I’d like you to know as long as we’re on the subject. Though you weren’t selected to come to the Devildom due to any special abilities on your part… you  _ are _ somewhat special to me on a personal level.”

He then answered the phone.

“Levi?” he began. “It’s me. Is something wrong?” He was silent for a few moments. “Levi? Levi are you there?”

A worried look on his face, he hung up the phone.

“Something’s happened...” he let out.

I put a hand to my wrist, unconsciously twirling Levi’s charm on my bracelet. Without another word between us, we took off for the House of Lamentation.


	25. The Demon House

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All the brothers start disappearing, leaving just Lucifer and Belle. Things go downhill fast.

We threw the door to Levi’s room open, Lucifer stepping in first to look around. I was right on his tail, taking the side of the room he didn’t. The other brothers began filtering in as well, having been brought up to speed and been sent to search the rest of the house.

“And sign of him?” Lucifer questioned.

“No, I’m not finding anything,” I answered.

“He wasn’t anywhere I looked, either,” Satan chimed in. “Are you certain it wasn’t some sort of prank call? Or maybe Levi’s out about town.”

“Levi?” I questioned. “Out and about? The only reason that guy leaves his room is to pick up Akuzon packages and the occasional refilling of his snack stash. No way he’s ‘out and about’.”

“Besides, it was him,” Lucifer insisted. “What’s worse, I heard him scream just before the call was cut off.”

“Did he say anything about any packages he was expecting?” Asmo suggested. “Maybe he got pulled into another game. It does tend to happen to him alot.”

At that moment, I was searching his bathtub bed for any kind of clue. As I did, my foot came down on something. I looked down, and I felt my blood run cold.

“Lucifer...” I all but whispered.

Lucifer turned as I picked up the object I’d stepped on: Levi’s D.D.D. Everyone in the room stared at it, and a sense of unholy dread washed over all of us.

“There’s no way he’d just leave that here,” Mammon declared, sounding genuinely worried for perhaps the first time since I’d met him. “He never goes anywhere without his D.D.D… The thing’s practically fused to his hand.”

“Levi...” I whimpered, clutching the D.D.D.

“We’ll find him,” Lucifer swore, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder, even as he was clearly trying to convince himself of the same thing. “Search the house again. Find anything that could indicate where he is.”

“Maybe...” Asmo began, trying to think of something positive. “Maybe he went out to some store to wait in line for a new manga, or a DVD. He’s done it before. Maybe the scream was- was him realizing the time and in his haste, he ran off.”

“I gotta admit, that is plausible,” Mammon said. “Like Asmo said, he’s done it before.”

“Once again, there’s the D.D.D. to take into account,” Satan argued. “No matter what kind of hurry he was in, he’d never go anywhere without it.”

“Exactly,” I nodded. “Beel, back us up here.”

We were met with crickets, or the devildom variant of them. There was a few moments of silence, then I slowly looked around.

“Beel?” I called.

“Oh no...” Lucifer let out. “He’s disappeared too.”

…

With two brothers now missing, we redoubled our search. Lucifer and I basically tore the kitchen apart searching for Beel, but we came out empty. We even expanded out to the grounds of the House, much to the chagrin of Asmodeus.

“Ugh,” he groaned, fixing his scarf. “I’ve had  _ just about _ enough of this! In care you weren’t aware, staying up late is the bane of healthy skin!”

“Fine, then go to bed,” Satan snapped. “The rest of us will stay up looking for Levi and Beel.”

Asmo quickly backtracked on his words.

“Wait, no. I didn’t say I wouldn’t keep looking for them. I’m allowed to complain a little bit, but I’m not about to just abandon the search for our brothers. Just what kind of demon do you take me for?”

“Well, we know Beel couldn’t have gone far,” I insisted. “He’s got to be somewhere in the house.”

“Agreed,” Lucifer nodded. “Satan, Belle, you’re with me. Mammon and Asmo, you two stick together. Hopefully, remaining in pairs will prevent anyone else from vanishing.”

“Hey, whoa!” Mammon snapped, stalking over to Lucifer. “What’s up with that?! Why do you get to take Belle?! I’m her protector, on  _ your _ orders no less! She should stay with me!”

“Mammon, it’s sweet you want to protect me and all, but now is not the time to be letting your greed get the better of you,” I insisted. “Just do what Lucifer said, we’re wasting time.”

“Agreed,” Asmo declared, grabbing Mammon by the scruff of his neck and dragging him off. “Come on, moron, let’s go.”

“Hey, whoa,  _ hey!! _ ” Mammon protested, struggling in Asmo’s grip. “Let go of me! I’m not a cat! Let go!!”

Ignoring Mammon as usual, I turned to my two assigned partners.

“I’m worried...” I admitted, rubbing my bracelet. “I know they’re demons, and that they can probably take care of themselves, but… something about all this just feels...”

“Off?” Satan offered, nodding slightly. “I’m glad I’m not the only one who feels it. Something’s not right here.”

“Let’s get back inside and search again,” Lucifer insisted.

We began making our way back inside, and as we did, I heard the sound of the ravens in the trees crying out loudly. I flinched at the noise, getting startled for the first time in awhile. I shuddered a bit, looking up at the House of Lamentation. Despite living here for a few months, and actually growing used to it, I felt early feelings of uneasiness rising up.

“Hey Lucifer...” I spoke up. “I know this is going to sound super random, but when I first came to the Devildom, you made an offhand comment about some curse on the House of Lamentation. Could- Could you elaborate on that at all?”

Lucifer glanced over at me, an eyebrow raising.

“How interesting, I was just thinking of those particular stories myself.”

“So was I,” Satan nodded. “Great minds, I guess.”

“I suppose knowing the story would be somewhat beneficial,” Lucifer admitted, clearing his throat. “It was a long time ago, back before this place was even called the House of Lamentation. The house was built on the outskirts of a village in the human world. At the time, a married couple and their seven children lived there, along with a single servant. At first glance, they appeared to be a happy, well-off family that enjoyed living out the country. However, one day, everything changed…”

I swallowed hard, shuddering again. I was never good with horror stories, and I had a bad feeling this one was about to take a turn. Sure enough, Lucifer did not disappoint.

“The oldest son came running into the village constable’s office looking very pale,” Satan described. “There, he delivered a horrifying piece of news: ‘Our servant... he murdered everyone in my family, and then took his own life!’ The constable’s men immediately went back to the house with him, and were greeted with a ghastly sight. Every person in the family had been murdered, each in a different way and in a different location…” 

“And-” I whispered, “and the servant?”

“Well, he was found in his room, hanging a rope around his neck,” Lucifer explained. “The constable concluded that, for whatever reason, the servant must have plotted to kill his masters and take his own life... and since the perpetrator was dead, they decided that the case was closed.” 

“I’m sensing a but,” I remarked.

“Indeed,” Satan nodded. “Sometime later, several facts came to light that gave rise to new doubts. First off, the only person who wasn’t killed was the oldest son, who had been on extremely bad terms with his siblings. Secondly, he had purchased a gun just like the one used in the murders shortly before they occurred. And thirdly, a postman witnessed the servant argue with the oldest son prior to the killings... 

“Which led people to think that maybe the oldest son was the true killer,” Lucifer concluded. “Perhaps the servant had tried to stop him, but ended up being killed as well in the process and was strung up by the neck to make it appear like a suicide. In the end, the truth never came to light. For several years, the oldest son lived in the house by himself and eventually died of old age.” 

“But, the unsettling rumors about the house continued to swirl, even after his demise,” Satan went on as I shuddered, feeling my hands shaking from nerves. “It was supposed to be vacant, and yet people claimed to have seen several figures moving about at night. They said they could hear the voices of people arguing and screaming... So at some point, the house was given the name ‘The House of Lamentation’.”

“Jesus...” I let out. “I can see why you all didn’t tell me any of that when I first came here. I highly doubt I would have been able to sleep a wink. That’s frikken terrifying...”

Satan laughed lightly, shaking his head.

“You’ve faced down four different furious demons, stood up to Lucifer himself, and yet a scary story has you shivering in your boots? I suppose even someone as fearless as you can get scared sometimes.”

“Hey!” I let out indignantly.

Satan laughed again, putting an arm around me and pulling me close.

“I didn’t mean it in a bad way, I promise.” He paused for a moment, then let me go and faced me, stopping us in the hall. “Anyway, I know this isn’t the best time for me to ask this, but… would you agree to a pact with me?”

My eyes went wide at those words, and then I immediately glanced over at Lucifer. As if expecting this, Satan let out another laugh.

“Relax,” he insisted. “This isn’t to get under Lucifer’s skin, or any underhanded reason like that. In fact, none of this has anything to do with him. Alot’s happened in the past few days, and…” he trailed off, turning slightly red before turning to Lucifer. “May we please have a moment of privacy? I can’t do this with you standing right there.”

I watched Lucifer, a bit worried about how he would react. He seemed stern at first, but then broke out into a grin.

“Belle, it’s not often that I see Satan in a state like this...” he laughed a bit. “Actually, I don’t think I’ve  **_ever_ ** seen him like this!”

“Lucifer!” Satan whined, sounding like an embarrassed child with their parents.

“Alright, alright,” Lucifer said, waving his brother down. “I’ll respect your wishes, Satan. I’ll be down the hall if you need me.”

“....thank you,” Satan said quietly.

Lucifer walked off at that, giving us the privacy Satan desired. The wrathful demon watched him go, then turned back to me.

“Um, where was I?” he perked, then seemed to remember. “Alot’s happened these past few days, and after everything we went through, I’ve made a decision. I’m not going to let who Lucifer is and what does bother me anymore. It’s like what Grisella said: you have to accept the hand fate deals you no matter what. What matters is  _ how _ you handle it. I can’t go back and change the circumstances of my birth, but how I choose to live my own life has nothing to do with Lucifer.” He rubbed the back of his head, letting out a long breath. “When I say it like that, it all sounds so simple. But, the entire reason I was able to face my issues is because of you, Belle. You’re the one who helped me be honest with Lucifer... and myself as well. I want to thank you, and this pact is the only way I can think of to truly show my gratitude.”

Hearing Satan admit to all this, I felt a bit of my heart go out to him. I can only imagine how much strength it took for him to come to this decision, and I also knew how powerful these pacts were. His offer was one made out of genuine care rather than spite, and this time, I knew Lucifer would approve.

“Well, I know how demons hate owing favors, and this pact will be a great help to me” I told him, holding out my hand. “I’ll gladly make a pact with you, Satan.”

“Then I guess this makes us even,” Satan declared, reaching out and grasping my hand, placing his other hand on the other side to hold me close. “I am Satan, Avatar of Wrath. I pledge myself to you, Isabella Collins, that we may be bound by an unbreakable pact. This I swear to you on both my name and the very blood that runs through my veins.”

Our hands began to glow, a bright green light swirling around them. A metallic green bracelet formed on Satan’s wrist as I gained a metallic green charm on my bracelet. It looked like a trident almost, with two demon horns growing out of a diamond in the center, an arrow head coming out of the top. I looked at the charm, smiling a bit as Satan checked the bracelet by slipping a finger under it.

“I was almost expecting it to be tighter,” he noted. “And yet, it doesn’t feel restraining at all. It feels… natural somehow.”

I opened my mouth to say something, but a pair of horrified screams suddenly filled the hall. Lucifer practically materialized by our side, Satan pulling me closer in a protective manner.

“What was that?” Lucifer questioned.

“It sounded like Mammon and Asmo,”Satan replied.

“I think it came from the portrait hall,” I remarked, pointing in the direction. “Come on, let’s go!”

We took off as fast as we could for the portrait hall.

…

By the time we reached the hall, it was too late. There was no sign of either Mammon, nor Asmo.

“We’re too late...” I cursed. “They’re gone...”

“Damnit...” Satan growled. “When I get my hands on whatever is responsible for this...”

An aura began to form around him, and I could almost see his horns beginning to form on his skull. Thinking fast, I took his hand in mine.

“Calm down,” I insisted. “We all need to keep a level head if we’re gonna save everyone. You’re no good to your brothers angry.”

Whether it was from an unintentional order, or just because Satan could see the logic in my words, he began to calm down. He squeezed my hand, letting out a breath.

“Right...” he said softly. “Right. Lucifer, what’s our next move?”

“We’re heading back upstairs,” Lucifer answered. “I’ll take the lead. Belle, stay behind me, and Satan, you bring up the rear.”

Both of us nodded, wordlessly getting into position. We began making our way out of the hall and up the stairs. I couldn’t help but look around nervously, playing with my bracelet as I found myself doing when I was scared.

“How can this be happening?” I wondered aloud. “First Levi, then Beel, and now Mammon and Asmo have vanished. Aside from Diavolo and Barbatos, I thought there were no creatures more powerful than you guys.”

“Indeed,” Satan mused behind me. “Could they be hiding somewhere, or could it be that-?”

He fell silent after that, and I felt a sudden lack of presence behind me. I froze, turning around to see Satan was gone. The shriek that left my mouth ripped through the room, and summoned Lucifer right over to me. He grabbed me, pulling me tight against his chest as he scanned the entire area around us.

“He-” I stammered, now truly scared out of my mind. “He was right behind me! I didn’t even hear him fall or- or anything! He just-... he just  **_vanished!_ ** ”

“So, it’s just us...” Lucifer let out, tightening his grip on me.

“Lucifer...” I whimpered. “I’m scared. I don’t know what’s going on, and somethings taking everyone...”

“I’ll admit, this entire situation has me unnerved too,” Lucifer told me, letting out a breath. “In spite of all the terrible things that have been said about this house, I’ve never once seen a ghost in all my time living here.” He let that sink in for a second, and something seemed to click for him. “I’ve never once experienced anything remotely like this, which means that it’s unlikely whatever is happening is being caused by the house itself.”

“Then wha-” I cut myself off as it clicked for me too. “Levi. He was the first to disappear, right? What if Asmo was right about the video game thing? I mean, remember how he was when you told him about the dinner party? He was so eager to get home, and since it’s tuesday, I don’t think it was for an anime episode.”

“I was thinking the same thing,” Lucifer nodded, gently releasing me before offering a hand to me. “Come, we’re going back to Levi’s room.”

“Right,” I nodded, gripping his hand. “And, thanks for the hand… I kinda need some sort of physical tether right now.”

Lucifer returned my grip in kind as we resumed our trek up the stairs.

“I like that you’re not afraid to admit how you really feel. It’s a good quality to have.”

“Thanks,” I replied, smiling back. “Let’s get going.”

…

We reached Levi’s room without any further incidents, pushing the door open to the still empty room. Lucifer seemed to deflate slightly at the sight.

“So, he hasn’t returned yet...”

“Let’s get to looking,” I insisted. “We sort of stopped searching after I found the D.D.D. on the floor.”

“Indeed,” Lucifer nodded. “Sadly, I’m afraid I can’t tell what’s a typical Levi mess, and what’s a clue.”

I glanced around the room, seeing all of his dvds and manga still neatly on their shelves. His PC was on, a half drunk soda showing he was online when it happened. I was about to move on when I managed to catch a glance at the screen.

“Hey, over here!” I called. “He left his PC on!”

“Is that so?” Lucifer noted, coming over. “I’ve given him multiple lectures on leaving it on when he walks away for a long time, so it’s likely wasn’t intentional. Perhaps he didn’t have time to turn it off because whatever happened to him was very sudden.”

“As proven by what happened with Satan, it can be very,  _ very _ sudden.” I took inventory of the screen, seeing that some sort of game was still up and running. It was titled “The Demon House”, and the screen was depicting an almost perfect digital replica of the House of Lamentation. I pulled out my D.D.D, bringing up the game’s page on devi-pedia.

“The Demon House,” I read off, “is a thriller-horror video game based off of the legend of the House of Lamentation.” Lucifer and I exchanged glances at that as I scrolled down to the plot section of the page. “You live in a cursed house with an ominous past. It is said that an entire family was once murdered inside these walls. Now, suddenly, one by one, the people you live with are starting to disappear...”

“Damnit, Leviathan...” Lucifer growled. “We’ve been dragged into yet another one of his video games… again.”

“Remind me to only ever play human world videogames with Levi in the future,” I remarked. “Honestly, that otaku is gonna get someone killed one of these days.”

“I fear you may be right,” Lucifer agreed, nodding a bit. “Now, what exactly should we do about this?”

“Well, if we turn off the PC, we risk trapping everyone… wherever they ended up, so I think our only choice is to win the game. It worked in Doji Maji, so why not here?”

Lucifer sighed, rubbing his face.

“As tedious as that sounds, I fear it is our only option at this point. See if you can find a guide we can use to finish this as quickly as possible.”

I nodded, deciding to move to the PC to make things easier. Minimizing the game, I went to the internet and began a search. After a quick look, I found one on DGN that was perfect.

“Here we go,” I declared, pointing at the screen. “‘The Demon House Super Simple Guide and Winning Strategies for Even the Most Inept.’ This should spell out how to win pretty easily.” 

I scrolled down for a bit, skimming until Lucifer stopped me.

“There,” he said, tapping the screen as I stopped the mouse. “It says that in order to complete the game, we must defeat the demon that serves as the final boss, the demon-” his eyes narrowed and he crossed his arms. “-....Lucifer. How ridiculous. The developers must think they’re very funny naming him that.”

“So...” I let out, turning to face him. “That means you’re the final boss, and with all the brothers off who knows where, I’m the MC… Meaning for us to win… I have to defeat you.”

I half expected Lucifer to be outraged, or at the very least annoyed at having to be defeated by a mere human. Instead, he just leaned over my shoulder and kept scanning the guide.

“Alright then,” he said in a surprisingly nonchalant manner. “How exactly do you do that?”

“Uh...” I stammered before shoving my questions down and turning to the screen. “Right. Well, let’s see what the guide has to- hello...”

“What is it?”

“I just found a link to the true ending of the game. If there’s one thing I know about videogames, true endings tend to be the happiest option, especially in horror games like this. Let’s see what this game has to offer.” I clicked on the link, skimming over it and reading aloud. “There are a number of conditions that must be satisfied, but if you can manage to do it, you’ll be treated to a romantic ending where you and Lucifer can actually… fall… in love.”

Both Lucifer and I let out identical groans, face palming pretty much in unison.

“Oh come on!” we both exclaimed.

“I’m going to strangle Levi when this is over,” I declared, standing up and throwing my hands in the air. “I will make him transform, and strangle him with his own damn tail!”

“You’d have better luck with my hellhound fur garot,” Lucifer spoke up. “I’ll happily lend it to you if you wish, so long as I get him when you’re done.”

“Sounds fair,” I replied, sitting down on the edge of Levi’s tub bed. “Well, you’re the one that’s gotta deal with the end results of this dumb game. How do you want to handle this? I can defeat you, or I can try and… Ugh… make you fall in love with me.”

Lucifer seemed just as thrilled as I was, but gathered himself and straightened up. He turned to me, adjusting his coat on his shoulder.

“For one, I say we retire to the library,” he declared. “We can sit by the fire in some form of comfort, and given what the game’s told us, I believe it’s safe to say that neither of us will be disappearing randomly.”

“Thank G-” I paused, then coughed a bit. “That’s a relief.”

Lucifer laughed a bit, then offered his arm to me. I got to my feet, hooking my arm in his as we left Levi’s room.

…

Knowing what was going on, and that it was just one of Levi’s videogames, the House of Lamentation was no longer intimidating. I didn’t jump at every shadow like before, and while I was still holding onto Lucifer, it was more like he was escorting me rather than me clinging to him in utter terror. Once we reached the library, I sat down in one of the two large chairs by the fireplace as Lucifer took the other. He looked me over, smiling slightly.

“You don’t seem nearly as scared as you were before.”

“Well, I was mostly afraid of the unknown. Now that we know what’s going on, I have nothing to be afraid of.”

Lucifer chuckled slightly, weaving his fingers together before resting his chin on them.

“You seem to forget you’re going to have to face me, the eldest brother, and Avatar of Pride.”

“I haven’t forgotten, but I’ve figured out what’s gonna happen,” I retorted, getting me an eyebrow raise from Lucifer. “Like you said, you’re the Avatar of Pride, and I’m pretty certain that if I tried to fight you, I’d die. However, in order to win, I have to beat you, meaning the only way I’d be able to do that is if you  _ let  _ me win.” I snorted a bit. “And I imagine the very idea of allowing a human to beat you in any way, shape, or form is pretty much unimaginable.”

Lucifer’s smile never faded as his eyebrow lowered and he nodded.

“Indeed. I would never be able to show my face if a mere human managed to best me, especially if I willingly allowed it to happen.”

“However, we still need to win in order to get the others back,” I reminded him. “That only leaves the ‘true ending’, which is us falling for each other.” I gagged. “Please don’t take that as anything against you Lucifer. You are an amazing demon, but being forced to fall for someone just… it rubs me the wrong way.”

“I can assure you, I assumed as much. I remember your rather impassioned speech back in Doji Maji. Sadly though, I don’t think Cerberus will be coming around to save us from this particular encounter.”

“Right...” I sighed. “So, what do we do first?”

“That’s what I’m trying to figure out right now.” He leaned back, tapping his fingers on the arm of his chair. “I will admit, there is a part of me that just wishes to end this here. A selfish, prideful part that would be happy if my brothers did not return and it was just us.”

“Well that part needs to shut up. We can’t just leave the guys to- to whatever this game has done to them.”

“Right,” Lucifer nodded. “Well then, why don’t we start with the fundamentals of love, then go from there. If you want to develop feelings for someone, you both need to start by getting to know each other. So, I’ll start us off, but please answer honestly, understood?”

“Of course,” I nodded back.

“How do you really feel about what’s going on right now?”

“Well, I hate that once again I’m being forced into a false relationship. But, once again, the choice is out of my hands, so I have to grin and bear it. I’m still contemplating the various ways I’m gonna murder Levi when this is over.”

“The offer for the garot still stands,” Lucifer told me, getting a snort out of me. “Alright, next question. Which of us brothers do you feel the closest to?”

With that one, I actually had to sit back and think.

“Hmm… well, I will admit that when Asmo’s not acting like a horny bastard, he’s really sweet. Once I told him he was Ace, he toned down the flirting to more manageable levels. But, I also find myself drawn to Beel. He’s… he’s so big and strong, but inside, he’s like a big marshmallow. I know the guy could probably eat me if he got hungry enough, but I feel safe with him.”

“I see,” Lucifer noted. “I’m just glad you didn’t say Mammon.”

“Nah, the guy would lose me in a bet if he could, and I’ve caught him stealing my shit way too many times. He’s a troublemaker friend who I occasionally hang with, not much else.”

“Ah. Well, now it’s your turn to ask a question. You may never get another chance like this, so choose your question carefully.”

“Alright… tell me about you. Have you had any past experiences with love?”

My question seemed to genuinely surprise Lucifer. He blinked, straightening up in his chair.

“You really want to hear about that?” he asked, getting a nod from me. “Well, what would you rather hear about? Everything up to 5000 years ago or everything from the last 5000 years. Either way, just giving you the synopsis alone would take about 100 years I’d say. Of course, that’s assuming I can remember each one of them.”

“Shit,” I let out.

Lucifer snorted slightly, then broke out into a sly grin.

“Oh don’t look at me like that. I was only joking. My duties to Diavolo have not left me with much time to pursue love, nor have I felt and desire to do so.”

“Oh...” I blushed a bit, feeling sheepish. “I see.”

Amused by my embarrassment, Lucifer continued to relax.

“Anything else you’d like to ask?”

I coughed, regaining my senses and sitting back.

“Actually, yeah… tell me honestly… how do you feel about humans?”

That got a genuine laugh out of Lucifer.

“Come now, Belle,” he said, shaking his head. “I think we both know you’re referring to one human in particular: you. You want to know how I feel about you.” I kept my mouth shut and Lucifer seemed to genuinely contemplate the question. “Well, you’re an exchange student from the human world. When you first arrived, I thought all I had to do was make sure you survived the year without any incidents, being careful to ensure you didn’t get yourself eaten by some random demon somewhere.”

“Guess I didn’t make that easy for you,” I remarked.

“That you did not. You did whatever you wished, unafraid of the consequences, and you constantly stuck your nose into others’ business. And in the end, you began to make pacts with my brothers one by one. Why did you do that anyway?”

I felt ice seize my heart, and my stomach do somersaults. Steadying my nerves, I let out a breath.

“Because I want you to respect me.”

“But why? Why is my respect so important to yours.”

“Because it’s the only way you’ll take anything I ask for seriously.”

Lucifer’s face was serious and he crossed his arms, eyes narrowing.

“Why?” he pressed harder. “What’s your real purpose? What are you trying to achieve in the long term?”

So many things were going through my head at that moment. I thought of Belphie, still locked in the attic alone. I thought of Beel, and how lonely he was without his twin. I thought of how each brother, upon hearing my desire to help Belphie and Lucifer make up, immediately jumped on board. I also remembered Diavolo’s words, and Grisella’s warning, and felt deep in my heart that the moment had come.

“This is what you meant, isn’t it Grisella?” I muttered, getting a confused look from Lucifer as I took a breath. “You really want to know why?”

“I do, yes. You’ve been incredibly stubborn and a difficult human to deal with,” his expression softened, “but you’re also very special… more special than you can ever imagine. You’re changing me, and my brothers as well. The truth is, I-”

“Lucifer,” I cut off. “Stop. Don’t-... don’t say anything else. Not until you hear what I have to say.”

He fell silent, facing me and waiting for me to talk. Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes and braced for myself for the shitshow I was about to unleash.

“I met Belphegor.”

The mood instantly dropped, Lucifer’s eyes growing cold.

“... **_what?_ ** ”

“That night I gave you the record, I went up to the attic. You thought I didn’t see the door, but I did. I met him, and he begged me to help him. He told me the only way for me to get him out was to make pacts with all of you. He wants to make up with you, to just sit down and talk.”

“You… you  _ spoke to  _ **_Belphegor?!_ ** ”

He rose to his feet, his horns growing out of his head as his attire transformed into his demonic garb. His black wings stretched out from his back, flared in anger. I was terrified, no denying that, but I remained where I was. I knew he would be mad when I spoke up, and I was ready to face it.

“I did, yes. Everything I’ve done, all my pacts, it’s been for him.”

“You went into the attic, despite knowing you  **_weren’t allowed to!_ ** You ignored my explicit warning, and you  **_conspired with BELPHEGOR?!_ ** ”

I nodded, just as Lucifer grabbed me by my throat, hoisting me into air while crushing my windpipe. My legs kicked uselessly as I clawed at his hand, feeling his own claws digging into the tender flesh.

“Do you  _ really _ find it so amusing to poke your nose into our business at every opportunity? Do you enjoy stirring up trouble that much?  _ You… a mere  _ **_human?! YOU DON’T HAVE THE RIGHT!!_ ** ”

“Stop!!” someone screamed.

Something struck Lucifer hard in the side and I was unceremoniously dropped. To my complete shock, I didn’t drop to the ground, but was actually caught by Mammon. He pulled me closer, getting me away from Lucifer, who was shaking off a hit from what I realized was a demonized Beelzebub.

“What the hell?!” Mammon exclaimed as I coughed and gasped, trying to regain my breath.

“What’s going on here?” Asmodeus questioned, looking at the room in shock. “Why is Lucifer trying to kill Belle?!”

“I thought they were going for the true ending,” Levi declared, joining the group. “Something’s wrong. Like, really wrong.”

“All of you...” Lucifer snarled, eyes locked on me as Mammon pulled me closer, the others getting between me and their eldest brother. “Out of my way! I’m going to tear that human limb from limb!”

“Not a chance!” Mammon insisted, back straight and eyes cold as he faced Lucifer. “We’re not about to step out of the way and let you do somethin’ like that!”

“Belphie...” Beel growled, still in his demon form. “Belle, you said he’s in the attic?”

I nodded, my throat still killing me.

“He- he told me… not to tell anyone… he said it would...” I coughed, “that it would start a war.”

“Then he’s not in the Human World...” Belphie was breathing hard, rage radiating off of him. “You lied to me Lucifer… All this time… you had Belphie, our  **_BROTHER_ ** ,  **_locked in the ATTIC?!_ ** ”

Lucifer’s fists clenched and he took a step forward. Beel stepped forward as well, bellowing so loud the walls themselves shook.

“ **_ANSWER ME LUCIFER!!!_ ** ”

“Oh no...” I wheezed. “Belphie was right… this is turning into a warzone.”

“Beel, Beel,” Levi tried, scrambling in his pockets for any kind of food item. “How would you like one of my prized Samurai Kitty Super Sweet manju buns, huh? They taste purrfect, you know?”

“Levi,” Mammon warned, “We are  _ way _ past the point where you could distract him with food!”

The two livid demons were still staring one another down, neither giving the other any quarter.

“ **_Out of my way!_ ** ” Lucifer snarled, backhanding Beel hard across the face.

“Lucifer!” Asmo shouted as Beel crashed hard into one of the bookcases. “What do you think you’re doing?! How could you do that to Beel?!”

“ **_QUIET!_ ** ”

He grabbed Asmo by his scarf, dragging him forward before throwing him aside. He hit one of the chairs by the fireplace, toppling it over and sending him rolling across the ground. By this point, Mammon and Levi were crowding around me, and I could feel Satan joining the fray, all trying to form a barrier between me and their elder brother.

“Lucifer,” Satan tried. “Stop this. You don’t want to-”

“ **_All of you, get out of here right this-_ ** ”

Before he could finish, the door to the library opened up, allowing a new player to join the fray. Everyone turned, freezing at the sight of the person in the door.

“No...” Mammon let out.

“It’s not possible...” Asmo gasped.

“How can this be?” Satan questioned.

“B-...” Beel stammered, trying to catch his breath. “Belphie?”

Sure enough, standing in the doorway, free as a bird, was Belphegor. He smiled at us all, his pillow tucked under his arm as he glanced around.

“Well, hello there, brothers,” he greeted. “I can’t tell you how much I missed you...”


	26. The Return of the Seventh Brother

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Belphegor is free!

Stunned silence filled the Library as all eyes were locked on Belphie. Asmo and Beel picked themself up, the latter’s demon form fading as he stared at his brother. Mammon ended up almost dropping me out of shock, but I managed to land on my feet. I stumbled slightly, Satan catching my as if on instinct. Belphie glanced over at me, looking me up and down. 

“Looks like I got here just in time,” he remarked. “What is this, the second time Lucifer’s choked you out?”

“B-Belphie,” I wheezed. “How- How are you… I didn’t...”

“Stop talking, Belle,” Mammon insisted, and for once I complied. “What’s going on here, Belphie?”

“Yes, what’s going on here?” Asmo begged, adjusting his scarf as he pulled the chair up off the ground. “Lucifer said you were in the human world for the exchange program, but now he’s saying you were in the attic.”

“Lucifer, please explain this,” Satan begged, clearly confused beyond belief.

Lucifer was silent, shock overriding his anger and making him return to his human form. Belphie sauntered into the room, slipping his pillow from one arm to the other.

“I bet this comes as quite a surprise, huh?” he remarked, laughing slightly. “Admit it, you didn’t expect  _ this _ , did you?” His laughter died and his eyebrows furrowed. “You never imagined I’d actually show up  _ here _ , after you thought you’d gotten rid of me. Locking me up in the attic and lying, to your own brothers no less, about where I’d gone.”

“Then it’s true...” Beel said quietly, coming over slowly and carefully, holding his face where he’d been backhanded. “You were locked in the attic this whole time...”

“Don’t worry about it, Beel,” Belphie said, his tone softening as he reached out to pat his brother’s shoulder. “I’m alright, and I finally managed to escape.”

Beel froze when Belphie touched him, then in a blur of motion, he pulled his twin into a tight hug. Belphie took the hug, sighing as he returned it.

“Oh, you have no idea how long I’ve been waiting for a chance to feel your crushing embrace, Beel. But, can you please let me go before you snap me in half?”

Reluctantly, Beel released Belphie, who gave a stretch and a very satisfied groan.

“Ahhh,” he sighed as he lowered his arms. “I gotta say, this is really nice.  _ So _ nice. I love this feeling, this… freedom.” He turned to me, grinning from ear to ear. “And I have you to thank for it, Belle. This is all thanks to you.”

“But…” I tried, my voice still hoarse, “But I-”

“Wait, hold on,” Mammon insisted, waving his hands a bit. “Thanks to Belle?”

“So, you really were working to free him,” Lucifer snarled.

I nodded, holding up my wrist with the pact bracelet. One by one, the brothers I had under a pact looked at their own wrists, at their bracelets.

“Beel didn’t tell you about Belphie, you met him before,” Satan realized.

“Yes, and no,” Belphie corrected for me. “I initially tried to pass myself off as a human, but that ruse barely lasted a day. One little talk with Beel and she knew the truth. I told her to make the pacts with you all, knowing it was the only way for us to escape.”

“So… all our pacts were for Belphie...” Levi realized.

“Sort of...” I told him. “I made my pact... with Mammon because of you... and then I decided to- to make my pact with you... so I could investigate the attic. Beel, Asmo and Satan... those were all on- on Belphie’s prompting.”

“But- but,” Asmo stammered, “how could Belle have been in any sort of position to make this happen? And how did you get out?! We’ve been keeping an eye on Belle this entire time, and she was never anywhere NEAR the attic!”

“Who cares?” Beel questioned. “None of that matters now. Belphie’s back… he’s finally back.”

“It seems you’re the only one who’s happy to see me, Beel,” Belphie told him. “You’re the only one who’s hugged me, or who’s even smiled at my return. I expected more from my brothers.”

“We might have done the same thing,” Satan argued, “but given the circumstances...”

“Belle,” Beel spoke up, approaching me and lifting me up. “I thought you were just trying to get Lucifer to change his mind on Belphie, but really you were trying to help him escape… You were trying to save him this entire time, and you barely knew him.”

“I… I had to,” I answered. “I hated… seeing you sad. But… I don’t think I did this...”

Lucifer seemed to take offense to that, letting out an animalistic snarl that had Beel pulling me close to his chest like a teddy bear while also sticking an arm out to defend Belphie.

“Oh, so now you’re going to play innocent?” Lucifer growled. “Do you honestly think you can talk your way out of this? Do you seriously think that I’m going to let Belphie go free now?”

That seemed to set Beel off. His grip on me tightened and his entire body tensed.

“What’s that supposed to mean? It’s bad enough you held him prisoner and lied to us about it this whole time, but now you want to do it again?”

“Uh oh, not again,” Asmo whimpered.

“And here I was foolishly thinking this couldn’t get any worse,” Mammon muttered.

“Lucifer,” Belphie declared, ducking under Beel’s arm so he could face Lucifer directly. “I am  _ never _ going back to that attic.”

“That’s for me to decide,” Lucifer snapped.

“Oh no, no it’s not!” Beel shouted, dropping me so he could jab a finger into Lucifer’s chest. “You don’t get to make that decision!”

“Are you turning on me, Beel?” Lucifer growled, eyes narrowing as an aura of anger rose off him. “ _ Defy _ me?”

“Turn on you?” Beel repeated quietly before his own aura of rage manifested. “Why the hell would I listen to you when  **_you’re_ ** the one who betrayed  **_US?!_ ** ”

Those words honestly seemed to stun Lucifer for a moment. Still high on his anger, Beel turned to me, grabbing me and pulling me onto his back. I yelped a bit, my throat protesting the loud noise with a cough as he adjusted me. Once he was certain I was situated, he turned to Belphie, holding out a hand.

“We’re leaving,” he declared. “Come on, Belphie.”

“Go?” I questioned, though I made no motion to try and get off his back.

“Go where?” Belphie questioned, even as he took Beel’s hand.

“H-hey!” Mammon let out, his eyes going wide. “Wait a minute! Belle-!”

“Let them go,” Satan insisted. “She’s not safe here, not with Lucifer the way he is right now. Beel will keep her protected.”

Never answering Belphie’s question, Beel turned towards the door and walked out. Asmo just wordlessly stepped aside, Satan holding Mammon back as they all watched us leave. I could hear them whispering among each other as we left.

“I can’t believe Beel of all demons actually turned on Lucifer,” Satan said quietly.

“What are we gonna do?” Mammon questioned. “We don’t even know where they’re going!”

I glanced over my shoulder, meeting Lucifer’s gaze for a moment. He remained silent, and then looked away as the library doors closed behind us.

…

Belphie was laughing like a complete and utter maniac as we walked down the streets of the Devildom. I wasn’t sure if it was just a joy of freedom, or from a rush of emotions after the big confrontation with Lucifer. I’d managed to convince Beel to put me down, but he insisted on holding my hand. I kept rubbing my throat, having been choked out for the second time in my life, leaving it sore once again.

“Belphie,” Beel lightly admonished, “come on, it’s not  _ that _ funny.”

“Oh come on, you saw the look on Lucifer’s face, right?” Belphie questioned, still laughing, “The one he had when you said you were leaving? It was classic, am I right?! It must have been a real shock, having you turn against him. His loyal, faithful brother Beel.”

He snickered again, but Beel wasn’t as amused. I gave his hand a squeeze, making him glance down at me.

“It couldn’t have been easy,” I said quietly, not wanting to strain my weak throat. “I’m sorry you had to do that.”

Belphie seemed to sober up a bit at that, stopping his laughter and turning to his twin

“Are you really okay with this?” he asked. “Leaving the House of Lamentation like this?”

“Either way, we can’t go back there. Not anymore.” Beel turned to me, sighing with regret. “I’m sorry you got dragged into this.”

“Like Satan said,” I whispered, “if I’d stayed, Lucifer probably would have killed me, or tortured me to the point that I begged for death. Thanks for looking out for me.”

Beel just smiled.

“You really are a good person.”

We continued walking for a bit, then I remembered the entire reason Lucifer and I were alone in the first place. I remembered everyone disappearing, then how they all just seemed to show up when things went south.

“Hang on,” I rasped. “How did you all escape the game? And… and Asmo said you guys had been ‘watching me the whole time’. Just… what was all that?”

“It was supposed to be nothing more than a practical joke,” Beel admitted.

“Oh?” Belphie questioned. “Whose idea was it? Mammon? Satan?”

“Satan,” Beel answered. “We managed to get him up to speed on what we thought was the reason for Belle getting all those pacts. He figured the only way for her to get one with Lucifer is if you two were in a situation where you were alone. We thought they’d open up to one another, leading to something good.”

“Nice thought, bad execution,” I noted. “I take it the game was Levi’s idea?”

“He figured if you both had a common goal to work on, you’d be able to come together sooner...” he sighed, shaking his head. “Guess it all failed.”

“So… what now?”

“Now,” Belphie spoke up, “you need a healer. I’m getting tired of straining to hear you when you talk.”

“I’m hungry...” Beel added, his stomach growling audibly.

Belphie laughed at that, patting his brother on the back.

“Ah, there it is. ‘I’m hungry’. It’s been so long since I’ve heard you say that, Beel. Although, now you’re making me hungry.”

“Let’s get some food,” I offered, sniffing the air. “I can smell something nearby.”

“I smell it too,” Beel noted, also sniffing the air. “It smells like… one of Simeon’s BLT devil sandwiches, I’m sure of it.”

Just then, Simeon came rounding the corner, a bag in his hand. As he turned, he stopped in his tracks, his eyes going wide at the sight of us.

“Wh….bu...huh?!” he let out, tripping over his words. “I don’t believe it! Belphegor?! Long time no see!”

“Well, if it isn’t Simeon,” Belphie remarked. “And let me guess, there’s a BLT devil sandwich in that bag you’re holding?”

“It is,” the angel nodded, eyes never leaving Belphie. “I was under the impression you were in the human world for the exchange program. Are you back for a visit?”

“That’s a long story,” I rasped.

Simeon glanced over at me, going wide-eyed went he saw my throat. He ended up dropping the bag he was holding, Beel releasing my hand to catch the bag, dumping the contents into his mouth.

“Belle, what happened?” Simeon demanded, gently checking my throat.

“Like she said, long story,” Belphie spoke up. “One we’ll tell you if you’ll let us crash in Purgatory Hall for a bit.”

“Sure, sure,” Simeon said, nodding quickly as his eyes remained locked on my throat. “But you better explain this in great detail. It’s clear something’s going on.”

We all nodded in affirmation, Beel still stuffing his face with the stolen sandwich, and we all made our way to Purgatory Hall.

…

Purgatory Hall was very different from the House of Lamentation. The decor was a forest green rather than the reds I was used to, and the wrought iron accents were golden here. Simeon brought me, Beel, and Belphie into Luke’s room, a rather large suite with green floral accented wallpaper and a full size bed with sheets in the same forest green as the curtains. Luke was laying on his bed like a little kid, kicking his feet in the air a bit with a book in front of him, but he jumped up when he saw all of us.

Before he could even begin to protest, he took one look at my throat and immediately went pale. Simeon just sat me down on a chaise lounge, then sent Luke to fetch Solomon. The small angel rushed off in an instant, returning with the sorcerer in tow. Solomon began to look me over, already summoning a bit of magic to begin healing my throat. I could feel the pain go down as the bruises faded. While this was going on, Beel explained to all three of the Hall residents about what had been going on. When he was finished, Simeon just shook his head.

“A brother’s quarrel on a grand scale,” he remarked, “and Belle was caught in the crossfire.”

“From my perspective, she seems to be at the center of it,” Solomon noted, continuing his work. “I daresay Lucifer was truly trying to murder her from the marks he left.”

“I don’t doubt it,” I told him, my voice finally back to normal. “Thanks for all of this, by the way. The healing and the letting us crash here.”

“Whoa, whoa, what’s this about crashing here?!” Luke protested, stomping his foot on the ground. “No one said anything about crashing, especially in  _ my _ room!”

“It’s only fair, Luke,” Simeon argued. “After all, Beel and Belle took you in and let you stay with them when you ran away.”

Luke just growled at that, plopping down on his bed before crossing his arms and pouting. Solomon finished his work on my throat, straightening up as he dispersed his power.

“There we go, all better,” he commented.

“Thanks,” I said again, rubbing my now healed throat.

“Think nothing of it. Still, I have to say that the idea of Lucifer locking Belphegor in the attic is nearly unbelievable. Like everyone else, I was under the assumption that you were up in the human world.”

“Well, I wasn’t,” Belphie remarked, sitting down on the bed with a smile. “Regardless, I’m a free demon once again.”

“How exactly where you imprisoned?” Simeon questioned. “You may be the youngest brother, but you are far from weak.”

“The attic room was sealed with a curse that could only be broken through the combined powers of all six of my brothers. So, it occurred to me that if Belle made pacts with each of them and gained the ability to use their powers, then it would be possible to lift the curse without Lucifer’s consent.”

“However,” I interjected, holding up my pact bracelet, “I only succeeded in making five pacts. Mammon, Leviathan, Beelzebub, Asmodeus, and Satan. My attempt with Lucifer is what got me my second round of strangulation at the hands of the Avatar of Pride.”

“What?” Belphie let out, blinking as he got up and grabbed my wrist, looking at my bracelet.

“I tried to tell you back in the library, but everyone kept talking over me. I wasn’t the one who freed you.”

“Then, if you didn’t get the pact with Lucifer, how was the curse sealing the door broken?”

“Belphie, what exactly happened in there?” Beel questioned.

Belphie let me go, sitting down on the lounge next to me. He adjusted his pillow so he was hugging it, burying the lower half of his face in it.

“Well, I was napping up there, since there wasn’t much else for me to do up there. While I was sleeping, I thought I heard someone calling my name. It sounded like a girl, maybe Belle, maybe...” he cut himself off, tightening his grip on his pillow. “She called me Belphie, and told me to wake up before just apologizing. When I got up, the grate blocking the door was just…. Gone. I slipped out and looked around, but I didn’t see anyone, so I decided to just head down to see everyone.”

“Maybe Lucifer’s curse was incomplete somehow?” Beel suggested.

“No,” Simeon said with a shake of his head. “I’d be willing to believe that if it was anyone else but Lucifer who cast it. He would never make a mistake like that.”

“He’s right,” Luke nodded. “Lucifer’s too much of a perfectionist to allow such a mistake to exist.”

“Well, he apparently cast a curse on the door so no human could see it, but I saw it clear as day,” I argued.

“That...” Simeon began, looking genuinely stumped for a bit, “is… odd. I honestly don’t know what to say about that.”

“Setting the conundrum of Belle aside for the moment, I do have a couple questions of my own,” Solomon spoke up, pacing slightly and rubbing his chin. “First, how was the curse on the attic lifted without the combined powers of all six brothers? It had to have been very powerful. More than that, even if Belle had somehow managed to make her pact with Lucifer, it wouldn’t have been enough without the ability to control their powers at will.”

“Something I most certainly can’t do,” I spoke up. “I mean, even if I awoke some power inside of me, I’ve never done any kind of magic outside of that one incident with Asmo and Henry 1.0.”

Belphie blinked in confusion, rubbing his eyes before turning to Beel. The gluttonous demon just shrugged, whispering “I’ll tell you later” before turning back to Solomon.

“So if Belle didn’t do it, or lacked the ability to do so, then who  _ did _ lift the curse?”

“Hmm,” Simeon let out, resting an elbow on his knee before placing his chin on his fist, emulating the Thinker. “Breaking the curse required the combined power of six of you. Does that mean that it could be any six demons as long as they were your siblings.”

“Simeon, have you forgotten?” Luke spoke up. “They don’t have any other siblings. It’s just the seven of them. There’s no one that could have substituted Lucifer.”

“Indeed,” Solomon nodded, though he glanced over at me with a curious look for a moment before resuming his pacing position. “Now, here’s another question… What exactly did you do to end up being imprisoned in the attic to begin with, Belphie?”

That question seemed to set Belphie off. He scowled, fingers digging into his pillow.

“That’s none of your damn business,” he snapped. “I’m not talking about it.”

“Alright, alright,” Solomon said, holding up his hands in a placating gesture. “I won’t force the issue if you don’t want to talk about it.”

I let out a large yawn, finally realizing just how tired I was. It was super late, and after all the drama and adrenaline I’d burned through, I was feeling completely wiped. Belphie took notice, gently pushing me over on the chaise lounge so I was a bit more comfortable.

“How about we save anymore discussion for tomorrow?” he suggested, going back over to the bed and making a show of laying down. “It’s late, and we’re all tired.”

“Now hang on!” Luke exclaimed, stamping his foot again. “All of you can’t be seriously planning on sleeping in  _ my _ room, can you?!”

“What, is that a problem?” Belphie challenged, fluffing his pillow before kicking off his shoes. “Why don’t you sleep in Simeon’s room, Luke? And then the three of us will stretch out here. Belle seems happy on the chaise lounge, and I’m sure I can squeeze Beel onto the bed with me.”

“But-... but this is  _ my room! _ ” Luke whined. “Mine! Why should I hand it over to a bunch of demons?!”

“I’m human, remember?” I piped up, lifting an arm up to point at myself before curling back up on the chaise lounge.

“But the other two are demons!” Luke continued to whine.

“I let you stay in my room before, and Belle got into a lot of trouble because of it,” Beel reminded him, shrugging out of his jacket and draping it over me like a blanket. “Are you really gonna turn us away? I thought you were an angel.”

That last bit seemed to catch Luke off-guard, making his turn red and stammer. I snuggled under the jacket, resisting the urge to shout “BURN!” at the top of my lungs. Belphie held no such reservations, propping himself up on his elbow to glower at Luke.

“You know, this is exactly why everyone is always saying that angels are arrogant, stingy, and ungrateful.”

“ **_You’re_ ** the one who says that!” Luke snapped, coming out of his earlier befuddlement.

“Now, now Luke,” Simeon lightly admonished, coming over and placing his hands on the shoulders of his fellow angel. “It’s alright. Why don’t you stay in my room tonight? Come on, I’ll throw in something sweet as a present.”

“Don’t talk to me like I’m a child!” Luke protested, turning red, though making no moves to remove Simeon’s hands.

“Luke, you  _ are _ a kid,” I said bluntly, not having much of a filter when I was this tired. “And an arrogant one at that.”

“And stingy and ungrateful,” Belphie called out, laying on his back on the bed and throwing an arm in the air, a single finger pointed up.

“No! I’m!  _ NOT!! _ ” Luke exclaimed, pulling free of Simeon while stomping his foot again. “And I’ll prove it! Just this once, as a really special favor, I’m going to let you demons use my room.”

“Again, human,” I interjected.

“Whatever,” Luke snorted dismissively, waving a hand while staring right at Belphie. “So, what do you have to say now?! You’d best feel honored! Stand in awe of my tremendous generosity.”

“Mmhm, yep,” Belphie let out, rolling over on the bed with a smile as he spoke with clear sarcasm. “We’re totally honored. You’re so generous, wow...”

With that, Simeon, Luke, and Solomon all took their leave of the room. I watched them go, then just let out a breath and settled on the couch. Beel went over to the bed, laying down next to Belphie. That seemed to get a giggle out of the youngest brother.

“We haven’t slept together like this since we were cherubim. Brings back memories, doesn’t it?” He sighed, pressing himself against his brother’s chest. “And after so long alone in that attic, feeling another demon, especially you, makes me feel like we’re back in the Celestial Realm.”

Beel didn’t say anything, and when I glanced over at the bed, I could see him pulling his brother closer. His face was buried in his brother’s hair, and he just sounded so relieved when he finally spoke.

“I’ve missed you so much...” he mumbled. “When I saw you in the library, I thought I was dreaming… and part of me is still afraid I’ll open my eyes and you’ll be gone again.”

“I’m not going anywhere, Beel,” Belphie swore, turning a little red. “But can you loosen your grip on me a bit? You’re giving Belle weird ideas.”

“Dude, all I see are twins who’ve been separated for months,” I spoke up. “You’re more than entitled to all the affection you need, want, or desire.”

The twins laughed a bit at that, then I noticed something change in Beel. He slowly released his twin, sitting up on the bed. Almost as if sensing that things were about to get serious, Belphie sat up as well, pulling his pillow so he was holding it in his laps, knees almost pressed to his chest.

“Belphie… why?” he questioned. “Why did Lucifer lock you up in the attic? Why did he do something like that, then lie to us about you being in the human world?”

Belphie seemed reluctant to speak, but he eventually just let out a breath.

“Well-”

The door to the room was then thrown open with a loud slam, knocking down a portrait hanging on the wall. Beel, Belphie and I all jumped, getting on our feet as we faced the door. To our complete and utter shock, Lord Diavolo and Barbatos came marching in. Both had very serious expressions on their faces, and I felt my heart drop. The friendly, gentle Diavolo I had grown used to was nowhere to be seen, replaced with the Demon Lord of the Devildom himself.

“Because if he hadn’t, Belphegor might have destroyed the human world,” Diavolo declared, his voice cold and hard, his arms crossed.

“Lord Diavolo...” Belphegor let out, sliding from shock to what almost sounded like an angry growl.

“What are you doing here?” Beel questioned.

“I’m sure Lucifer must have told him about me,” Belphie sneered before glaring daggers at Diavolo, “seeing as he’s little more than his loyal lapdog these days.”

I should have been scared for Belphie, considering how brazen he was being with the uncharacteristically serious Diavolo. However, I couldn’t get those words out of my head, how Belphie might have destroyed the human world. I turned to him, pulling Beel’s jacket around me like a security blanket.

“Belphegor...” I let out. “Is what he said true?”

He didn’t answer, gripping his pillow so hard, I was afraid he’d rip it.

“Answer her,” Beel insisted, actually sounding angry himself. “Did you threaten the human world? Is that why you were in the attic?”

“Why don’t you ask Lord Diavolo and his steward?” Belphie snarled, pointing right at the pair. “I mean, they clearly think they know everything there is to know.”

“You might want to watch your tongue,” Barbatos warned, his voice sending a chill down my spine. “It would seem that the time you spent hidden away in that room has made you forget your place.”

“It’s okay, Barbatos,” Diavolo told his manservant, waving him down slightly before turning to me. “I’ll tell you what happened, though you may not be pleased with what I have to say.”

Beel looked at his brother, then at Diavolo. He gave a small nod, clearly needing context to this entire situation. I was the same way, worried about the demon I had released, and had been so willing to trust. If what Diavolo said was try, and he might have destroyed the human world… What did that mean for me?

“Tell us,” I insisted.

Diavolo gestured to the chaise lounge and I sat down. Beel and Belphie remained standing, eyes never leaving the Demon Lord.

“It all started with the plan for the exchange program,” Diavolo began. “When my proposal for the student exchange was officially adopted, Belphegor was vigorously opposed to it. Apparently, he appealed directly to Lucifer and asked him to put a stop to it. It would seem that Lucifer dismissed his objection out of hand.” Diavolo’s eyes fell on Belphegor. “You’ve always hated humans, haven’t you, Belphegor? Which is why you couldn’t accept my plan, or the fact that Lucifer was working to execute it.”

Belphie just seemed to grow more and more angry with every word that left Diavolo’s lips. Beel began moving a bit closer to me, as if sensing that I was in danger. I just kept a tight grip on his jacket, eying the scene with an anxious heart.

“You got angry,” Diavolo went on. “So angry that you lost control of yourself. Had no one stopped you, you might have inflicted great harm on the human world. Lucifer realized that, and chose to shelter you, telling everyone, including me that you were in the human world.”

That seemed to set Belphie off.

“Shelter me?!” he exclaimed. “ **_SHELTER ME?!_ ** I was a  _ prisoner _ in my own home! Everyone I knew was told I was in the human world while he kept me  _ isolated _ and  **_alone!_ ** ”

“Wait, wait,” I insisted, waving my hand. “Lucifer even lied to you? Then… how do you know all this?”

“Like Belphegor said before, Lucifer told me everything a few moments ago,” Diavolo answered. 

“Who  **_cares?!_ ** ” Belphie shouted, anger radiating off of him as he threw his pillow to the ground in a rage. “How dare you call what I went through at the hands of Lucifer being  _ sheltered!! _ I was not  **_sheltered!_ ** I was  _ gotten  _ **_rid of!!_ ** ”

“Oh, you were sheltered,” Diavolo insisted, stepping forward while actually making Belphie flinch, “from  **_me._ ** ”

All the anger left Belphie, leaving nothing but pure shock. Beel was in a similar state, and I instinctively reached up to take his arm. I didn’t know what was about to happen, but I knew it was going to be bad.

“You see,” Diavolo said, “he knew that if I learned the truth, I would have to do this...”

“ _ Hear my voice and heed my command, _ ” Barbatos recited, teal light swirling around him, mixing with dark smoke. “ _ These words are sound, the sound, melody. And through it, I bind thee, and rob thee of thy freedom! _ ”

He threw his arm out, palm out and fingers splayed. As he did, large, thick chains shot from the smoke around him, grabbing Belphie. They wrapped around his chest, pinning his arms to his side. His wrists were forced behind his back, sealing in a box tie. His legs were bound above and below the knees, as well as around his ankles. Once Belphie was fully bound, Barbatos twisted his wrist and flicked his fingers upward, the chains causing their captive to float off the ground.

“Belphegor?!” Beel shrieked.

He tried to lunge at Barbatos, and I just barely managed to grab him in time. Barbatos walked carefully around his hovering captive, picking up Belphies discarded shoes and his pillow.

“That was a binding spell,” he explained as he tucked the pillow under his arm, sliding the shoes onto Belphie’s feet once more. “It will keep Belphegor contained, and it cannot be broken. Not by you, or your brother at least.” Once the shoes were back on Belphegor’s feet, he twirled his finger until his captive was facing him. “Belphegor, Avatar of Sloth, you are hereby charged with treason.”

“No!!” Beel cried out, nearly getting free of me as I dug in my heels, trying desperately to keep him back.

“Barbatos,” Diavolo commanded, “escort Belphegor to the castle dungeon. He’ll be imprisoned there until justice can be served.”

“Yes, my lord,” Barbatos replied, bowing elegantly.

“N-no!” Belphie let out, actually sounding scared as Barbatos magically dragged him out of the room. “NO!! BEEL!!”

“Belphie!!” Beel cried, reaching out for his brother. “Stop this, Diavolo! Let him go!! I just got him back, damnit!!  _ I just got him back!! _ ”

Luke came in just as Barbatos disappeared from sight.

“Come on...” he groaned, rubbing his eyes. “I’m letting you use my room, the least you could do is keep the noise- GYAH!” he straightened up, eyes going wide when he spotted the still angry Diavolo. “Wh-what’s going on?! Why’s Diavolo-?!”

“Forget that and help me!” I snapped, feeling my grip on Beel slipping. “I can’t hold him back!”

With a yelp, Luke came over, planting both hands on Beel’s stomach and trying to push back on him. I don’t know if it would do any good, or if Luke had secret Angel Strength, but I just knew I couldn’t let Beel go berserk. I could already feel his fly wings growing from his back, and I could see his horns starting to sprout.

“Let go of me, Belle!” he warned.

“No!” I shot down. “If I do, you’ll go nuts and just make things worse!”

“R-right, exactly!” Luke insisted, despite clearly having no idea what was going on. “Listen to her!”

“Indeed you should,” Diavolo declared, turning to face us. “If you choose to defy me now, you’ll only exacerbate Belphegor’s situation.”

While still clearly upset with the situation, Beel did calm down slightly. He stopped resisting us, which made Luke sigh in relief.

“Finally… Hercules here has calmed down.”

I loosened my grip, but still kept a tight grip on his arms. However, I still had some questions of my own. I turned to Diavolo, swallowing the fear I felt at his serious demeanor.

“Where’s Lucifer?” I questioned. “If you’re doing this to Belphie, there’s no way Lucifer’s getting off unscathed.”

“Indeed not,” he nodded in reply. “He’s in the House of Lamentation. I’ve had him placed under house arrest. After all, it’s my duty and my mission to help bring stability to the three worlds. To shepherd them along that path. Belphegor is trying to destroy that path, and by sheltering him, Lucifer is complicit in his crimes.”

I wanted to say something, but I knew Diavolo spoke the truth. Still this entire event had sent me in a complete, emotional spiral. As if sensing the turmoil in me, Diavolo locked eyes with me.

“Also, remember that you’re just an exchange student here, and nothing more. This is a problem that concerns us demons alone. As a human, you have no right to interfere.”

With nothing left to say, Diavolo turned on his heels and marched out of the room. The door closed behind him with a light click, leaving me, Beel, and Luke alone. Beel let out several ragged breaths, then slammed his fists down on a small coffee table.

“Damnit!” he screamed, falling to his knees in front of the splintered table. “DAMNIT!!”

Luke was speechless, not even mustering the words to tell Beel off about the table. I too held my tongue, instead choosing to kneel down next to the distraught demon. Tears were pouring down his face, he just stayed on his knees, fists shaking. I put an arm around him in a comforting manner, letting him cry. After a second, one fist uncurled, reaching up to cover my hand, as if to assure himself he wasn’t alone...


	27. The Apologies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Belle has alot to answer for, and several brothers to make things right with

I don’t know how long Beel stayed on the ground, crying at the loss of his brother. I just held him as best I could, while Luke had long since left, deciding he wanted nothing to do with the entire situation. I let him go, still trying to wrap my mind around everything I’d learned. Belphie had been against the exchange program, hating humanity to such an extent that the idea of humans coming into his home sent him into an uncontrollable rage. It didn’t make sense to me, given how we’d interacted in the past.

However, the more I thought about it, the more things began to sink in. He’s been particularly condescending when we’d spoken in the attic, and given I was literally his only chance, he’d have to swallow his hatred, even for a little. I suppose the only reason he didn’t attack me or treat me negatively was genuine gratitude, but once Diavolo had exposed him, I couldn’t help but feel scared for my life.

But what really got me was the entire situation with Lucifer. He hadn’t imprisoned his brother with any malicious intent. Instead, he was just trying to protect his youngest brother. That was why he was so protective of the attic, and why he was so upset when he’d heard I was trying to free him. Like Diavolo said, he was sheltering Belphie from something far worse, and because of me, the worst had come to pass.

“Beel,” I let out. “This is all my fault.”

Beel lifted his head, confused.

“If I’d never gone into that damn attic, none of this would have happened. I’m so sorry, Beel.”

“No,” Beel sniffed, wiping his face and shaking his head. “No, none of this is your fault. You were just trying to help. How could you possibly have known about any of this?”

“I just...” I sighed, rubbing my face. “I never expected…  _ this. _ I mean, Belphie hating humanity to the point that he was a- a danger to an entire realm?”

“I mean… it makes sense...” Beel said quietly.

That caught me off guard. I turned to Beel, who was just looking at the coffee table he’d smashed with a distant look in his eye. After a moment, I gently took hold of his chin, making him face me.

“Beel… why does Belphie hate humanity?”

“It’s… complicated,” he told me, turning away again. “It’s nothing against you personally, and it’s nothing you did. Honestly, the one who could tell you how he ended up like that the best is Lucifer.”

“Please… try?”

Beel thought about it, then let out a breath.

“I can't,” he insisted, rising to his feet. “If you want to know the truth, we need Lucifer. We need to go back to the House of Lamentation.”

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” I questioned. “I mean, I can only imagine how Lucifer is feeling after being placed under house arrest by Diavolo. More than that, I can’t even begin to imagine how the others are taking all this.”

“Either way, we need to go back. I need to have a proper talk with Lucifer, and I just have this feeling that if you’re there, things will work out.”

I was nervous, I mean, who wouldn’t be? Lucifer had tried to kill me, and had damn near succeeded. Still, I couldn’t deny that I was having a similar feeling to Beel. We had to go back, if for no other reason than so I could apologize… to everyone.

“Just… promise me you’ll stay with me?” I requested. “I’m scared.”

He took my hand, giving it a squeeze.

“I promise. No matter what happens, even if Lucifer or Mammon fly off the handle, I’ll be there to protect you.”

I squeezed his hand back, then got up myself.

“Alright then,” I nodded. “Let’s go home.”

…

The House of Lamentation was so quiet when we finally got back. Nobody reacted when we opened the door, nor when we began looking around. The library was empty, though it did seem someone had cleaned up the mess from earlier.

“It’s so quiet...” I noted.

“Well, it is the middle of the night,” Beel reminded me. “Perhaps everyone went to bed.”

Just then, we heard the sound of someone clearing their throat. We turned to see Asmo standing in the doorway of the library, wearing his pajamas with a robe loosely tied around him. He gave us both a snort, crossing his arms.

“Well, who do we have here? Had enough running away from home? That was even faster than I expected...”

“Asmo...” I let out.

“Is Lucifer in his room?” Beel cut off, getting right down to business.

“Oh no you don’t,” Asmo snapped, straightening up and marching toward us. “You don’t get to just march back in here and just start demanding answers. Besides, both of you seriously owe us all-”

“I’m sorry,” I cut in.

Asmo stopped, turning towards me in surprise.

“I’m sorry I kept the truth about the pacts from everyone… I’m sorry I lied about my intentions, and I’m sorry for just leaving like we did.” I looked up at Asmo, genuine remorse in my eyes. “I want to make this right with everyone, I swear… Can you forgive me?”

Asmo seemed genuinely moved for a moment, then he cracked a smile and grabbed me, pulling me into a hug.

“Oh Bella,” he said as he gently pet my hair. “Thank you for saying that, but a mere apology won’t be enough.” He pulled back, adjusting his hair so he was looking me right in the eye. “Look, I’m going to come right out and ask you this. When we were alone together, were you thinking of Belphie.”

I shook my head.

“No, I wasn’t. That night in my room, after we made our pact, all I could think about was how sweet you were. Despite being the Avatar of Lust, you respected my boundaries and still made me feel special. If Mammon hadn’t come in when he did, I would have happily fallen asleep in your arms.”

Asmo’s smile returned and he hugged me once again.

“I’m so happy to hear that, Bella,” he said, twirling slightly. “I can see it in your eyes you mean every word. It makes me feel all warm inside, knowing I wasn’t just some stepping stone to you.”

“No, never,” I swore. “You’re my friend, Asmo, and a damn good one.”

“That’s all I needed to hear,” he declared, then he clapped his hands. “Now, you were asking about Lucifer, right? Well, he holed himself up in his room after Lord Diavolo left. But, before you go talk to him, you need to deal with Levi and Mammon.”

I winced, looking down in shame.

“That makes sense...” I muttered. “Levi probably feels betrayed, and Mammon’s probably the same way...”

“Don’t forget Satan,” Asmo added. “He did mention wanting a word with you.”

I let out a breath at that, just imagining how angry the Avatar of Wrath must be. He’d sworn never to make a pact, and the one time he did, he was betrayed.

“Alright, I should tackle him first,” I decided. “Where is he? His room?”

“I think he was in the Planetarium earlier. You should try looking for him there.” Asmo then turned to Beel. “Oh, and Beel, I’d like you to come see me in my bathroom later. I’m going to give you a good scolding.”

Beel raised an eyebrow at that, looking confused.

“Why the bathroom?”

“No questions!” Asmo declared, holding up a hand in front of his brother’s face. “Just be there!”

…

In the Planetarium, Satan was sitting on one of the benches while staring up at the ceiling. He was still dressed in his casual clothes, unlike Asmo, and he was just hugging one leg to his chest. 

“Satan?” I called out, lightly knocking on the door.

He glanced over at me, and to my surprise, he actually cracked a smile.

“So, you’re back,” he said, laughing a bit. “This has all been a huge disaster for you too, huh? Taken from the human world without any warning, forced to stay for a year… and then it was just one brotherly quarrel after another… Though in the case of the quarrels, it’s your own fault for sticking your nose in other people’s problems.”

“It’s a bad habit I guess,” I said with a shrug.

“Eh, it’s not like I have room to criticize other people in that regard.” 

His face grew a bit more serious and he scooted over on the bench, clearly wanting me to join him. I did so, folding my hands in my lap as I waited for him to speak.

“The attic has always been Lucifer’s private sanctuary, you see. He’s never allowed anyone else in there. I figured it was probably packed full of sentimental items from back in his Celestial Realm days. Things he couldn’t bear to throw away. But I definitely didn’t think he’d keep his own  _ brother _ in there as a prisoner.” He pulled his leg closer to his chest, his expression becoming somewhat worried. “Everyone has always told me that I’m so much like Lucifer, but I never would have imagined that he was doing something like that.”

Tentatively, I reached out and placed a hand on his back. He tensed a bit, but eventually relaxed again. He didn’t try to shake me off, so I kept my hand here.

“Lucifer thinks that there’s no problem he can’t handle on his own, so he keeps everything to himself. He never tells us anything. Then he deals with whatever it is on his own, in whatever way he pleases. He’s always like that… it’s so irritating.” 

He let out a huff, releasing the anger that had been building inside of him. I removed my hand, feeling now was not the time for physical touch just yet. 

“Still… it’s not surprising that he wouldn’t tell  _ me _ anything, is it? Considering I had nothing but hatred for him. And I do the exact same thing he does. I keep things to myself, deal with it on my own. Do what I want with no regard for anyone.”

“Hey, that’s not true,” I argued. “You came clean to me about your problems, remember? You relied on me to help you move on from Lucifer’s shadow. You’re not him, you’re you. Never forget that.”

Satan turned a little red, fingers twitching nervously across his leg.

“...thanks,” he whispered before letting out a breath. “You’re right, you did help me. I opened up to you… and now, Lucifer needs to do the same.” He released his leg and turned to face me fully. “Go to him, Belle. Go to Lucifer. Help him, like you helped me.”

I nodded vigorously, then moved forward and hugged Satan. He was stunned at first, then returned the hug in time.

“I will,” I promised. “Your family will be whole again. You have my word.”

…

The next brother on my list to visit was Mammon. I stood outside of his room, where I could hear what sounded like casino music playing at full blast. I knocked on the door, and the music was turned down slightly.

“Mammon?” I called, knocking again. “Mammon, it’s me. Can I come in?”

“No one’s here!” Mammon shouted, turning the music back up. “The Great Mammon’s not home!”

“Mammon, come on! I know you’re there! Please, just let me in!”

“I can’t here you!” he shouted back in a singsong voice. “I can’t hear people who keep secrets from me and never tell me anything!”

“Mammon...”

“Just so ya know, I’m not speakin’ to ya  _ EVER _ again! Apologize all you want, you’ll only be wastin’ your breath! Go back to the human world, and don’t come back until you’ve changed your ways! You dummy! You great big dummy!”

I just stood there, letting out a long breath. I knew he was gonna be hurt, but I never imagined it would be  _ this _ bad. I contemplated beating down the door, but I knew this was not a time to be forceful or harsh. It wouldn’t do any good, since he was clearly ignoring me. So, I just sat down on the ground, leaning against the wall to try and come up with a plan. As I did this, I heard the music quiet down again, as if Mammon was listening for me.

“Wh...hey, come on!” he called out. “Hello? You still out there or what?”

I didn’t answer.

“I don’t believe it,” I heard him mutter, turning off his music altogether. “Who gives up that easily? Seriously, who?! You’re supposed to hang in there and wait until I finally open the door! Everyone knows that.”

He threw the door open, immediately searching for me. He was just in his black t-shirt and his jeans, jacket and glasses discarded, and I could smell alcohol on him.

“Yo! Belle!” he shouted.

I stood up, my movement shocking him and making him jump. He screamed, stumbling backwards and just barely managing to catch himself on his door frame. I gave a small, sheepish wave.

“Can I come in?”

After taking a moment to regain control of himself, he turned and walked back into his room. He left the door open, so I assumed he was allowing me to come in. I took a look around, having never really been in Mammon’s room. To my surprise, it didn’t smell as bad as I remember from the first day, leading me to think he’d at least tried to clean up after all my quips. Still, the place was definitely a bachelor pad, and screamed Mammon.

The walls were completely concrete, lacking decorations save for a few scattered paintings or prints from his modeling jobs. He had an entertainment system that was basically a large projector screen and some video game systems. He had a pool table, which had a half finished game, a bottle of whisky, and several snacks scattered across it. His “closet” was an open area in the corner, with half its contents haphazardly scattered across the floor or just stacked in an overflowing hamper. His bed was massive, messy, and from the blanket and pillow on one of his couches, not really slept in. However, the biggest surprise to me was a small, second story balcony where a classic, pristine car was sitting.

“Is-” I began, “Is that a- Is that a car?”

Mammon didn’t answer me. Instead, he just snagged the bottle of whisky, chugging some of it before slamming it down and snagging up one of the pool cues. I sighed, trying to move into his line of sight.

“Come on, Mammon, talk to me?”

He pointedly walked around me, lining up a shot on the pool table.

“Mammon, please stop ignoring me...”

He launched the shot, the cue ball smacking the seven stripe ball right into the center pocket. He moved to go for the next shot, but I just grabbed him, pulling him into a hug. I actually heard him choke a bit, since I was never really affectionate with him. I made a note to fix that in the future as I squeezed him as tight as I could.

“Mammon, I’m sorry,” I said, burying my face in his back. “I never meant to hurt you, but you’re right. I shouldn’t have lied to everyone… to you… So please… talk to me.”

For a moment, Mammon just stood there, a trembling hand reaching up to rest over my arms. Then, he seemed to remember he was supposed to be mad at me and his tsundere personality kicked back in. He broke my grip on him, turning around so he could grab my shoulders and make me look him in the eye.

“Now listen, you!” He growled, hands still shaking as he held me. “Damnit, you really play dirty, you know that?” He gave me a shove and I ended up falling into the couch. “Fine, you want me to talk? I’ll talk! Why didn’t you tell me anything?! I mean, it’s you and me! Or is what we have nothin’ more than...” he trailed off, a hand going to his pact bracelet, where I could see many clumsy scratches like he had drunkenly tried to rip it off, “y’know...”

“Of course not, Mammon,” I promised. “You were my first demon. Sure your greediness does get under my skin, and you can be super annoying most of the time… but never once have I been afraid of you.”

That seemed to catch Mammon off guard. I smiled, then reached out and took his hand.

“Even before we became friends, you never once raised a hand to me. You were even willing to fight your own brother to protect me when Levi went nuts. And, don’t even get me started on that incident in the tomb. You’ve always protected me, and I’ve always been grateful for it. I just never told you because I didn’t want you to get a big head.”

Now Mammon was blushing, though he made no moves to pull his hand away.

“You’re right, I should have told you what I was really doing. I should have told everyone. But, I want you to know that when I made my pact with you, it was never about Belphie.” I smirked. “In fact, yours was the only pact that  _ wasn’t _ Belphie related.”

“Wait, what?” Mammon let out, genuinely shocked.

“Yeah, remember? Levi wanted money and that figurine from you, and I wanted assurance you would keep me safe. I wanted you by my side, protecting me. That’s why I made the pact.”

Mammon let that sink in, then he grabbed me and pulled me into a hug.

“That’s all I needed to hear, you stupid, stupid human...”

We held each other for a good minute before Mammon finally let me go. When he did, he wiped his eyes to hide tears he'd secretly shed, then sat down next to me.

"Now, what's the plan? Where do you go from here, and don't you dare try to lie to me."

"I want to know why Belphie hates humanity, what led Lucifer locking him away. Sadly, he's locked up in his room, and I highly doubt anything any of us said or did would get him to come out, especially if it's me."

"Ya got that right," Mammon agreed. "Luckily for you, I want to know why the hell he locked Belphie up too, so you've got The Great Mammon in your corner!"

"Right," I nodded, tapping my thumb nail against my bottom lip. "So, how do we lure Lucifer out of his room?"

"You leave that to me," Mammon insisted, getting up and pulling me to my feet. "You need to go get Levi. We'll need all the help we can get, and he really needs you right now."

I winced at that, knowing it must be bad if Mammon of all demons was telling me to go to someone else. I made my way to the door, glancing back at Mammon. He met my eye and he smiled.

"Go," he told me. "You got this. We're gonna fix everything, just you wait."

Somewhat reassured, I walked out of the room and over to Levi's door. The signs had been updated, now including a picture of me with the word "BANNED" in big red letters. I knocked on the door, but I got no answer whatsoever. I tried the handle, thankfully finding that it was unlocked. Throwing caution to the wind, I opened the door.

Levi was on the ground, leaning against the massive fish tank that made up his back wall. He had several snacks strewn around him, and was in his PJs. A blanket was wrapped around him and his eyes were puffy, as if he'd been crying. He didn't even acknowledge me, merely leaning on the tank while muttering to Henry the Goldfish.

“So, what do you think? Like, when it comes down to it, you can’t trust humans. They’re lesser beings… evil, black-hearted creatures. And yet, all I had to do was make a pact with one, and suddenly it felt like we were friends, you know?” He sniffed, wiping his nose on his arm. “Though the truth is that I was imagining it. I didn’t realize I was being used. I started sending messages and getting all excited that I had a human in my life and stuff. I mean, how could I be so stupid?!”

He slammed his fist hard on the ground before grabbing the blanket he was cocooned in and pulling it tighter. I took in the scene, realizing that Levi had reverted back to how he had been before we made the pact. He’d completely withdrawn from everything… all because of me.

“Levi...” I began. “Please don’t do this. Don’t shut yourself off again”

“Shut up!” Levi snapped, grabbing one of the snacks and throwing it at me. “You’re a backstabbing human and you can spontaneously combust for all I care! You know what? Just die already. Right now. Please. I’m begging you.”

He threw a few more snacks at me, all of them missing wildly before he eventually gave up and retreated back into his blanket cocoon.

“Levi-”

“Just go...” Levi muttered miserably into his blanket. “You got what you wanted from me already, right? I mean, what more use could you have for a sad, gloomy, annoying, useless, socially awkward, gross, recluse, shut-in of an otaku?”

“Levi, it was never like that...” I pleaded, sitting down across from him.

“I don’t believe you… People can say  _ whatever _ they want, but it doesn’t mean a thing.”

“I’m sorry, Levi… I really am. I never meant to hurt you.”

“Yeah, you’re sorry alright,” Levi snorted, glaring at the ground. “A sorry excuse for a friend.”

“I made a mistake, I’ll admit it...” Something popped into my head that made a small smile grace my face. “Like when Henry stole the Lord of Shadow’s singing harp to try and save the Lord of Emptiness.”

That actually made Levi peek out from under his blankets. Realizing I had his attention, I went on.

“The Lord of Shadow was angered by the theft, but when Henry told him the truth, the Lord of Shadow forgave him. He understood that Henry was trying to help one of his fellow lords, and couldn’t wait for permission.”

“Henry returned the magic harp and begged for forgiveness,” Levi went on, lowering his blanket. “And they were able to forge a real, lasting bond.”

“Exactly!” I said, nodding. “And remember? The Lord of Shadow gave Henry the Sword of Legend, which was how he was finally able to complete his quest and save the Lord of Emptiness. He couldn’t have done it without the support and trust of his greatest ally.”

“More than an ally,” Levi replied, grinning from ear to ear. “A true friend, sharing a bond that went beyond race or social position!”

“Even friends make mistakes,” I told him, holding my arms out. “But true friends admit when they were wrong, and try to make amends. So… will you let me forge that bond with you again, Levi?”

With happy tears, Levi launched forward and hugged me, both of us falling to the ground.

“Belle...” he sobbed, burying his face in my shoulder. “I forgive you...”

“Thank you, Levi,” I said, holding him closer. “Thank you...”

“About damn time!” Mammon called from the door, cutting off the tender moment. “I was getting sick of hearing you whine to your goldfish!”

“Way to ruin the moment, Mammon...” I deadpanned, slowly releasing Levi. “Still, I am glad to have you back, Levi.”

“Right,” Mammon agreed, coming over and clapping his hands. “Good thing too, because I need your help.”

“What?!” Levi exclaimed, looking complete and utterly shocked. “Is the Great Mammon admitting he’s in trouble?”

“I’m not in trouble!” Mammon snapped. “I just need help coming up with a plan to get Lucifer to come out of his room.”

“Lucifer?” Levi questioned, looking confused. “After everything that happened? After he locked Belphie up and tried to kill Belle? You actually want to talk to him?”

“It’s a very long story,” I insisted, “and I swear on Ruri-chan that once I know it, I’ll tell you everything. But, if we’re going to be able to salvage this family, all of us are gonna have to work together.” I stood up, holding out a hand for Levi. “You with us?”

Levi hesitated for a moment, then took my hand and pulled himself up.

“Alright,” he said. “Let’s do this...”


	28. The Sister's Crypt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> To try and get Lucifer out of his room, the brothers and Belle go for the Grimoire, where Belle learns a bit more about Lilith

Once again, I found myself questioning my sanity about agreeing to one of Mammon’s plans. Considering what happened the  _ last _ time I’d listened to him, you’d think I’d have learned my lesson. Honestly, I blame my rather stupid decision on a lack of options and sheer desperation, but that did change the sheer idiocy of where I was.

I was down in the underground tomb in the deepest levels of the House of Lamentation. I could feel a chill in the air, and I couldn’t help remembering the last time I had come down here. My throat felt tight, though that could have been nerves, or just remnants of Lucifer’s latest attack. Still, I had every reason to be nervous, and my five companions seemed to share my sentiments.

“This is stupid,” Beel declared, keeping his voice down as we crept through the candle-laden area.

“This whole plan is stupid,” Satan corrected.

“Yep, totally stupid,” Asmo nodded.

“Yep,  _ stupid, _ ” Levi declared. “That’s about the only way to describe it. Then again, what should we expect from the stupidest demon in the Devildom”

“Hey, shut up!” Mammon hissed, turning to face all of us. “I’m tired of walkin’ along, quietly listenin’ to you guys tearing into me. Callin’ me stupid and moronic and idiotic and a money-grubber. I mean, what the hell?!”

“All we said was that the plan was stupid,” I spoke up in everyone’s defense. “Sure, Levi called  _ you _ stupid, but we never said any of that other-”

“That’s not the point!” Mammon snapped. “I mean, what exactly is it about me that you think is so moronic, huh?! C’mon, let’s hear it!”

He was moving his hands in “gimme” motions, his eyes blazing with challenge. Asmo immediately stepped up, crossing his arms and meeting his brother’s eye.

“What, exactly? I mean, like  _ everything, _ really.”

“ **_WHAT?!_ ** ”

“Guys, enough,” I insisted, getting between Asmo and Mammon. “We’re wasting time here. Yes, this plan is the epitome of stupid, but right now, we don’t exactly have a better one. We’ve already gone over this, and  _ none _ of us had a better plan than this. So, no matter how stupid or moronic it is-”

“Hey!” Mammon exclaimed.

“-we don’t have a choice,” I concluded.

“Exactly!” Mammon declared, pushing past me to glare at his brothers. “I mean, do you think Lucifer’s just gonna come walzin’ out of his room after Lord Diavolo told him he’s under house arrest?” He didn’t even give anyone a chance to respond. “Course not, right? No way he would! That’s why we need to lure Mr. Loyal-and-Obedient in any way we can, and I can’t think of any better way than this!”

“Alright, you’ve made your point,” Satan insisted, holding his hands up in a placating gesture. “We get it.”

“We know your plan is stupid,” Asmo declared, snickering slightly, “but we stupidly followed you down here because this stupid plan is our only option, you stupid Mammon!”

“Oh, now you’re just lookin’ for a way to say stupid as many times as you can!”

“Okay, that's it!” I snapped, “Everyone shut up!”

One by one, everyone’s jaws snapped closed. As the shouting finally came to an end, I let out a long breath, closing my eyes and placing my hands prayer style on the bridge of my nose. Once I was calmer, I lowered my hands and opened my eyes. The brothers were all watching me, as if waiting for me like docile pets. Levi was red, clearly embarrassed about being caught in my punishment. Satan was lightly testing his lips, as if experimenting with my order. Mammon had his arms crossed, no doubt used to being silenced by me at this point. Asmo was blushing slightly, but seemed to just be waiting calmly, and Beel looked like a puppy who had just had a treat taken from him.

“Levi, Beel, you two can speak. You two were good.” Those two unclenched their jaw, both looking mildly grateful while remaining quiet as I addressed the other three. “Now, you three. Asmo, stop egging Mammon on. Satan, that’s ditto to you. Mammon, even you have to admit this plan is crazy.”

“Yeah,” Levi nodded, moving so he was standing next to me. “I mean, using the grimoire to get Lucifer to come out of his room? Sure it grants the power to control a demon whether or not you have a pact, but he’s already tried to kill Belle once tonight. When he sees her with it, he's gonna lose his shit.”

"Right," Been quietly agreed.

Satan raised his hand in the air, like a school kid asking for permission to speak. I turned to him, giving him a nod.

"You can speak."

His jaw unclenched as well, and after rotating it slightly, he did just that.

"Believe me, if one of us could use it in place of Belle, we would. However, only a human can use it, so it has to be her."

"I know the thing is powerful," I spoke up, "but will it really get Lucifer out of his room? I don't want to control him, I just want to talk to him."

Asmo began jumping slightly, waving his hand in the air. With a small laugh, I released him, and he immediately started talking.

"The grimoire is basically like a soul to us demons," he explained. "If it ends up in the hands of a human, he's bound to get so angry, he'll come running."

"There's just one thing you're not taking into account," Been spoke up, "Ever since the incident with Luke, Cerberus has been down here guarding it. And remember last time we encountered him?"

I shuddered, as did Mammon and Levi. The former then tapped me on the shoulder before gesturing to his mouth with his thumb. I gave the greedy demon an eyebrow raise and he gave me the best puppy dog eyes he could muster. With a sigh, I released him as well and he gasped.

"Why do you think we're being so quiet and sneaky?" he proposed. "Its so he doesn't find us."

"Says the demon who's done nothing but yell and scream since we got down here," Levi deadpanned. "Honestly, with all the noise you've been making, I'm shocked Doggy McDogface hasn't found us yet."

I don't know why, maybe it was stress, or nerves, or just how utterly exhausted I was, but I just found that extremely funny. Cerberus, the three headed dog that breathed fire, being called Doggy McDogface… it got me to snort, then giggle, then full on belly laugh. The brothers stared at me for a bit, as if I'd gone insane, but soon, Asmo cracked a smile, covering his face as he snickered. Been cracked not long after, patting my back as I doubled over from laughter, his own rich laughs filling the tomb.

"I-I'm sorry," I gasped, my voice high pitched from laughter that showed no sign of stopping, "but, Doggy… McDogface?!"

Now Satan and Mammon cracked up and we were all laughing our heads off. Levi was grinning, happy that he'd made us laugh.

"You like that, huh? Well, Mammon would be Greedy McGreedface, and Asmo would be Lusty McLustface."

"Stop!" I pleaded, gasping for air between laughs, tears in my eyes. "You're gonna make me pee!"

"Satan would be Wrathy McWrathface," Asmo mused, still giggling a bit. "Ooh! And Beel would be Foody McFoodface!"

Mammon was cackling so hard he fell over. I was barely standing, only Beel's grip on the back of my jacket keeping me from falling over. All of a sudden, Satan straightened up, barely getting a neutral expression on his face before speaking in the most serious tone he could muster.

"Lucifer would be Pridy McPrideface."

That was it, we were dead. All of us fell over, laughing so hard our sides hurt. We stayed there on the ground, our laugher soon dying down into chuckles, then giggles, and finally just big, dopey grins. We all began getting back up, still smiling as the occasional giggle slipped through.

"Thanks guys," I told them all. "I  _ really _ needed that." I then cleared my throat, dusting myself off. "But in all seriousness, if Cerberus is guarding the Grimoire, we should just take it and run instead of sticking down here. For that matter, why didn't Lucifer move it somewhere more secure after last time?"

Everyone seemed to sober up when I said that. Asmo adjusted his robe, running his fingers through his hair.

"Because, we can't," he said, sounding a not somber as he did. "We can't just run with it, just like Lucifer couldn't just move it."

“It would lose all meaning if we did,” Levi insisted.

"If we did," Beel spoke up, rubbing his arms, "then she'd be lonely…"

"She?" I repeated, even though I was pretty sure I already knew the answer.

"Lilith," Mammon said quietly.

His eyes fell on the beautiful, stone carved sarcophagus that sat on a small platform at the end of the tomb. The carving depicted a beautiful girl who couldn't have been much older than me. She had long, wavy hair that had flowers arranged within it, was wearing a long, flowing robe that covered her feet, and her stone hands were gently covering the Grimoire. Suddenly, Lucifer's protectiveness of this place oh so long ago made so much sense. 

"This is Lilith's resting place," I said aloud. "Her tomb…"

"She was the youngest of us," Asmo said softly, a wistful and sad smile on her face. "We built this place for her after she died, so we could have something to remember her by."

"In truth, the coffin is empty," Satan remarked. "No one knows where her body is…"

"Lucifer placed the Grimoire here as a way of saying our hearts and souls will always be with her."

"And they are," Levi declared, hugging himself slightly. "Not a day goes by that we don't miss her."

Beel was just silent, staring at the coffin with such sadness in his eyes. I knew he still blamed himself for her death, so being there in that tomb had to be difficult. Still, he put on a brave face, even as his chest rose and fell from a slight sob he barely suppressed. After a bit, Mammon cleared his throat.

“Anyway, right now we need to focus on the grimoire here,” he insisted, nudging me towards the sarcophagus. “Go ahead and take it. It’s the only way to get Lucifer down here.”

“You guys promise you’ll keep me safe?” I asked.

All five nodded in affirmation, especially Beel. He seemed to steel himself at my words, straightening up.

“Nothing will happen to you. I swear it.”

“Okay...” I let out, stepping up on the platform. “Here goes nothing.”

I reached towards the grimoire, just as a loud growl filled the room. I froze, and the brothers all tensed.

“Beel,” Levi let out, “please tell me that was your stomach...”

Beel just shook his head. Distant footsteps could be heard, as well as three sets of long, animalistic breaths. Very slowly, all of us turned towards the sound, which was coming from the darkness not far from the sarcophagus. Sure enough, stepping out of the shadows, flames billowing from his mouths and eyes blazing, is Cerberus. He let out a very loud trio of roars, enraged by our presence. Asmodeus and Levi screamed, Satan swallowed hard, Mammon nearly fell from terror, and Beel was instantly on the defensive.

“Belle!”

He shouted. “The Grimoire! Hurry!”

Acting fast, I reached down to grab the book. The second my fingers touched the leather binding, something happened. My vision went completely white as the tomb vanished around me. I didn’t know what was going on, but it felt like I was being sent somewhere.

…

_ I can’t even begin to describe the amount of pain I was in when I became aware again. My entire body was wracked with pain so intense that breathing was sheer agony. Everything felt broken, and I could feel something heavy on my back that truly ached. As I slowly opened my eyes, I came to realize someone was holding me. Everything was blurry, either from pain or from something else, but things were slowly coming into focus. _

_ I was in the Devildom, I knew that much. I just couldn’t tell exactly where. All I could see were large trees, rocky outcropping, and a large storm brewing up above. I tried to rise, but all that got out of me was a cry of pain and a quick collapse into the arms of who/whatever was holding me. Through bleary eyes, I tried to make out who was holding me, and shock shook me to my core…  _

_ It was Lucifer, but not the one I knew. This Lucifer had longer hair that brushed his shoulders and was dressed in very elegant white robes with blue and gold accents. His wings were pearl white, and there were six of them, though the bottom most looked incredibly damaged. His clothes had burns and rips on them, and now that I could see them, they were beginning to turn black. More than that, so were his wings. As he held me, I watched as a shimmering golden halo fell from his head as his curled black horns began to sprout. _

_ “No...” he let out, his voice full of sorrow and pain that I was unused to hearing in the mostly stoic Lucifer. “This can’t be...” _

_ He grunted in pain, fingers digging into me slightly as I watched one of his lower wings fall to the ground, dissolving into ash as it hit, the other one wasn’t far behind, but Lucifer seemed more focused on my own pain than his own. _

_ “How… how could this happen...” _

_ There was a crack, but I could tell it wasn’t either of our bones, or even Lucifer’s other badly mangled wing. Lucifer sensed the same thing, pulling me as close as he dared before turning in the direction of the sound. _

_ “Who’s there?!” he demanded, his wings curling around me even as the second one fell off, joining its twin in oblivion. _

_ Emerging from a path, Lord Diavolo and Barbatos approached. Both were in their human forms, and both looked extremely concerned. They eyed us both with nothing but pity, but to my shock, Lucifer was instantly on the defensive. _

_ “You two...” he snarled. _

_ Barbatos looked me over, shaking his head somberly. _

_ “Her injuries are severe,” he let out. “If she is exposed to Devildom air for much longer, she’ll likely perish. She doesn’t have long...” _

_ That news seemed to rock Lucifer to his core. With remaining wings dropped, the last of their once pearly essence fading into nothing. His once pristine armor was gone, now replaced with his demonic clothing that I was so familiar with. He was on the verge of tears, hands shaking as he held me. _

_ “Help...” he sobbed, voice shaking as he looked up at Diavolo. “Please… I beg you, Diavolo… help her.” His head shot up and his voice was laced with desperation. “I don’t care what happens to me! You’ve got to help her! I know you have the means to do it!” _

_ Diavolo looked at Lucifer’s tear-stained face, and the shattered pride he had clearly thrown aside to beg for help. I wanted to reach up and wipe those tears away, but I could barely twitch a finger at this point. Seeing this, the Demon Lord gave a small nod. _

_ “Yes, I do have the means to help her. However, it might not be in the way you expect or desire. And if I am to do this, there are conditions.” _

_ Lucifer was nervous, I could tell that much, but he was also desperate. All of that showed in his voice as he spoke up again. _

_ “Conditions?” _

_ “You must pledge your loyalty to me, Lucifer,” Diavolo told him, much to Lucifer’s and Barbatos’ shock. _

_ “Young Master,” Barbatos gasped. _

_ “I know what you’re going to say, Barbatos,” Diavolo interjected, holding up a hand to placate his manservant. “I’m taking a big risk here as well. The Celestial Realm has rendered its judgement, and I’ll be interfering with that.” He cracked a smile. “But if I end up with you on my side, Lucifer, I’d say that’s a risk well worth taking. Wouldn’t you agree?” _

_ That previously shattered pride returned in full force. Lucifer’s voice was still heavy from regret and loss, but anger was at its forefront. _

_ “You’re suggesting I pledge my loyalty… to the son of the Demon King?  _ **_Me?_ ** _ ” _

_ “I am sure there could be no greater disgrace to one such as you,” Barbatos noted, “he who was once celebrated as the pride of the Celestial Realm. However, perhaps you might want to have a look at yourself before making your decision.” _

_ He looked down at me, and it dawned on me that I was wearing what appeared to be a silver chestplate. It was dented and tarnished, and I could see a gaping hole near my stomach, but the surface was reflective enough for Lucifer to see himself in it. The horror that washed over him as he realized what he’d become was absolutely heartbreaking. He fanned out his wings, one hand shakily going to where the last two had once rested. He hissed in pain when he touched the clearly injured skin, which revealed his pointed fangs. _

_ “I...” he let out, his pride gone once more. “I’ve...” _

_ A ragged cough ripped through me, my vision going blurry. Lucifer’s hand returned to holding me, and Barbatos became a bit more insistent. _

_ “You don’t have time to sit around trying to make up your mind,” he declared. _

_ “Don’t you dare order me around!” Lucifer snapped, wings snapping angrily as Barbatos backed off. “I don’t need time to make up my mind. I will stay true to my convictions. I’ve always done so, and I always will. That will never change, whether I am an angel or a demon.” The anger in his voice died as he turned back to me, gently brushing a lock of hair from my face. “If it means you’ll ensure that she stays alive, I’ll make any sacrifice I have to. So...” _

_ He carefully laid me down, propping me on what I assume was some sort of slanted rock so I was still sitting up slightly. He then turned to Diavolo, getting to his knees and placing his forehead to the ground. His wings folded up, and for the first time ever, he just looked so… small. _

_ “Diavolo, I hereby pledge my loyalty and allegiance to you.” _

_ Diavolo bent down, taking Lucifer’s chin and making the fallen angel look up. _

_ “And I accept your allegiance,” he declared, helping Lucifer stand once more. “It is done then.” _

_ “You’d better save her...” Lucifer all but whispered. _

_ “Of course I will,” Diavolo promised. “Now, it’s time for you to say your goodbyes.” _

_ Lucifer looked back at me, coming over and kneeling down at my side. I tried to reach for him, but my body was too weak. He took my hand in his, his grip so gentle, and brought my hand to his lips. He kissed my hand, treating me like I was made of glass. _

_ “No matter how far apart we may be, no matter how much time passes, even if someday you’re no longer yourself… I will never forget you. And I’ll always pray that you find happiness… always… I love you, Lilith.” _

_ And with that, everything went white once more… _

…

To say I was stunned by everything that I just witnessed would have been an understatement to say the least. I had seen, through the eyes of Lilith no less, the day she had died. I had seen Lucifer fall, his transformation, and just how far he was willing to go for his family. He’d clearly hated demons, maybe even Diavolo and Barbatos especially, but he had sworn allegiance to the Demon Lord despite it all, just to save Lilith.

It wasn’t until I heard Mammon screaming my name that I remembered where I was.

“Belle!” he shrieked. “Belle, snap out of it!”

I jumped, turning around to see Cerberus stalking closer, the brothers forming a protective barrier around me as Mammon shook me like a ragdoll.

“What’re ya doin?! How can you just stand there, starin’ off into space at a time like this?!”

“Uh-” I let out, my brain still trying to reconnect to my mouth. “I uh- Um-”

“Mammon?!” Asmo cried out. “What do we do now?!”

Mammon turned me around, shoving me back towards the sarcophagus.

“Grab that damn book!” he snapped. “Now!”

“I-” I tried again.

“Don’t think, just do it!” Satan shouted over Cerberus’ growls, trying to keep the beast at bay as Lucifer had taught him.

On instinct, I dove forward again, reaching for the book. I tried to pry it free, but there were thick ivy vines keeping it bound to the sarcophagus’ hands.

“It won’t budge!” I shouted. “The ivy’s too thick!”

“Do something!” Satan insisted. “I can’t keep Cerberus back much longer!”

“I don’t wanna be dinner!” Levi whined, hiding behind Satan in sheer terror.

Before the situation could get any worse, a familiar voice rang through the tomb, making everyone, even Cerberus, freeze.

“ **_CERBERUS!!_ ** ” Lucifer screamed, storming forward as Cerberus lowered his heads in terror. “ **_Sit!_ ** ”

Immediately, Cerberus did as he was told. We all stopped to stare at Lucifer, and I immediately stepped away from the sarcophagus. Seeing him there, I couldn’t help but flash back to that broken angel from the vision, the one willing to throw away his pride for his family. It made a lump form in my throat, and all the fear I’d held for him crumble to pieces.

“We-” Mammon let out, panting slightly.

“We’re s-...” Asmo stammered, still shaking from fear and unable to speak properly.

“We’re saved...” Beel finally said, though he kept his eyes on Lucifer, clearly worried and remembering the last time he’d faced his brother.

“I thought I was dead for sure this time...” Levi whimpered.

“If you’re gonna show up to save the say, do it  _ sooner _ Lucifer!” Satan requested, leaning against the wall from sheer exhaustion.

“You should be thankful I came at all,” Lucifer replied evenly, crossing his arms and shaking his head. “I don’t believe all of you… Can’t you go a single day without causing trouble?”

“Don’t look at me!” Mammon insisted, holding his hands up. “I wasn’t causin’ any trouble! Cerberus and Asmo were the ones who were bein’ loud and stuff!” He hesitated for a moment when everyone gave him a side glare. “For the most part...”

“Excuse me?” Asmo exclaimed, crossing his arms. “Why single  _ me _ out?  _ Levi _ was being loud too, you know?”

Lucifer ignored them both, his eyes falling on me and Beel. The gluttonous brother swallowed hard, and I tightened my grip in Beel’s jacket, which I realized I was  _ still _ wearing.

“And this is unexpected,” he remarked with a bit of a growl. “You’re joined by the very two people who should be keeping a low profile.”

Despite his angry tone, I still couldn’t get what I’d seen out of my head. His self sacrifice, and his final promise to Lilith. I stepped forward, and before he could say a word, I hugged him. I don’t know if he was expecting me to hit him, or if me not cowering in terror was a shock to him, but he just stood there, taking the hug. The others stared at me like I had gone completely crazy, or like I was about to be eviscerated. When I finally let him go, it took Lucifer a moment to regain his composure. He coughed, adjusting his coat.

“Is  _ this _ your idea of an apology?” he questioned. “Or is it-”

“Yes, and no,” I interrupted. “Lucifer… we need to talk. All of us… about everything. Your brothers deserve to know the truth about Belphie, and deep down, you know that.”

Lucifer went tense, closing himself off and glaring at the ground. Satan let out an annoyed groan, rolling his eyes.

“Ah, responding with silence as usual,” he snapped, shaking his head. “You always have been good at that.”

“She’s right, Lucifer,” Mammon spoke up. “We deserve the truth! So quit leaving us in the dark!”

“Please,” Asmo begged. “Don’t you think it’s about time you actually talked to us?”

As his brothers spoke up, I could see Lucifer’s resolve crumbling.

“Yeah,” Levi agreed. “This isn’t just your problem. It’s a family problem, so it involves all of us.”

“A  _ family _ problem,” Lucifer repeated, mulling on that second word for a moment.

“Come on, Lucifer,” Beel pleaded, his voice shockingly soft. “Talk to us...”

“Beel, I-” Lucifer began before letting out a breath and nodding. “Okay. Let’s head back upstairs.” His eyes fell on the sarcophagus. “We’ll worry Lilith if she sees us acting like this.”

All eyes fell on the sarcophagus as he said that, and I couldn’t help but feel something making my heart grow warmer. One by one, the brothers filed out of the tomb. Beel wrapped an arm around me, escorting me back up the stairs and out of the darkened crypt.


	29. The Truth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The truth finally comes out...

Tension was high in the library as everyone gathered in a circle on the various chairs and couches. Beel was still being very protective of me, but I had finally returned his jacket to him. Everyone was more than a little nervous about what was about to happen, and I could tell that this was taking a lot of courage on Lucifer’s part. I remembered what Levi said, when he’d called this a family matter, so I rose to my feet.

“Maybe I should go wait outside or something,” I offered.

Almost immediately, Mammon’s hand shot out, pushing me back into my seat.

“No,” he declared, his tone uncharacteristically serious. “There’s no need to go.”

“That’s right,” Satan nodded.

“This does involve you, after all,” Asmo reminded me.

“Yep,” Levi agreed. “You’re like family to us now, after all.”

“You stay right here,” Beel decided, an arm wrapping around me to gently pin me to the couch.

I adjusted myself so I was a bit more comfortable, then turned to look at Lucifer, curious about his opinion. He said nothing for a moment or two, and seemed either unable or unwilling to look me in the eye.

“Lucifer?” I called out softly.

“You heard them,” he said so quietly I almost didn’t hear him before sighing and finally looking at me. “It would seem my brothers think of you as part of the family now.”

“Family...” Beel said softly. “Like Belphie?”

“Beel,” Asmo let out, reaching out and placing a hand on Beel’s arm.

“Belphie’s family too!” Beel snapped. “That goes without saying! Or am I wrong!”

Lucifer actually flinched at Beel’s harsh tone, no doubt remembering his earlier desertion. Still, he steeled himself and spoke up once more.

“Yes, he is family,” Lucifer agreed. “ _ That’s why I locked him away. _ ”

“Why?!” Beel demanded, nearly getting up before I turned and pinned him down, albeit just barely. “Family doesn’t do something like that! You don’t  _ imprison _ your own brother, and then lie to  **_everyone!_ ** ”

“Beel,” I warned. “Calm down, please.”

“Y-yeah, Beel,” Mammon stammered. “He said he’d explain, so let him, will ya?”

“But he-?!”

“Beel,” I said in a warning tone. “Please don’t make me use my pact on you. We’ve had enough fighting and screaming tonight to last three of my lifetimes.”

“She’s right, Beel,” Levi spoke up. “We’re all mad, just like you. That’s why we’re all here. To  _ talk _ about it.”

“Lashing out and getting upset like that won’t get anyone anywhere,” Satan insisted. “So calm down, and let’s hear Lucifer out.”

“Look,” I said softly, losing my earlier harshness. “I know how you feel, and I get it. He’s your twin, your scared, and your angry. But please… if not for us, then for Belphie. Okay?”

Beel looked at all of us, then he took a deep breath before letting it out. Once he was done, he was visibly calmer, he nodded. I smiled at him, then was surprised when Satan cleared his throat. I turned, and he was motioning for me to go on.

“Belle, why don’t you take it from here?” he suggested. “You’ve got the most context out of all of us, and probably the most level-headed one here right now.”

I nodded, then I turned to Lucifer.

“Diavolo said that Belphie was a danger to the human realm. He said you locked him away to shelter him, because his hatred for humanity was just too great. I want to know the full story. Why he hates humanity, and what he did that was so treasonous that it merited the actions you took.”

Lucifer nodded, straightened up, and began his tale.

“It began with Diavolo’s plan for an exchange program between the three realms. That’s what triggered the chain of events that led to today...”

Once again, my vision went white, just like it had back in the tomb. I instinctively gripped onto Beel’s arm, but I felt myself being pulled from reality once more…

…

_ Unlike last time, I didn’t feel any different. Instead, I seemed to be merely an observer from the outside. It reminded me of the dream I’d had during the retreat, where I’d watched Lucifer and Diavolo talk. In this case, I seemed to be looking in on a Student Council meeting at RAD, one where Diavolo had the floor. All of the brothers were in their seats, including, much to my shock, Belphie. Like the rest of his brothers, he was in the RAD uniform, and from what I could tell, he preferred a simple blue tie that was almost the same color as his shirt. He had his usual cow print pillow with him, and he looked ready to tear it in half as Diavolo spoke. _

_ “So, with all of that in mind, I’d like to propose that we create a student exchange program. It would be an experiment, an attempt at opening the door to a new age.” _

_ “Wait just a second!” Belphie demanded, rising to his feet and slamming his palms down on his table, which got him a cold scowl from Diavolo. “What are you talking about?! The whole idea of having an exchange with humans is insane! We can’t do this! Absolutely not!” _

_ Everything was silent for a moment as Lucifer’s voice pierced through this strange vision of mine. _

“From the very beginning, Belphie was opposed to Diavolo’s proposal...”

_ “Belphegor,” Diavolo cut in, the vision starting back up again, “I understand that this must make you anxious, but I’d like you to listen to what I’m saying. Having a student exchange will help the Devildom to grow and develop. And it certainly won’t cause any harm. I wouldn’t allow such a thing to happen.” _

_ “Just coming into contact with humans itself is causing harm!” Belphie shrieked, throwing an arm in the air. _

_ “Times have changed, Belphegor,” Diavolo insisted, remaining calm despite Belphie’s hysterics. “The universe is made up of more than just the Devildom. We exist by maintaining a state of balance between each of our worlds. There are some humans who are starting to wake up to this fact as well. It may seem like we’re rejecting our history by acknowledging and accepting each other, and building relationships. But we’ll never get anywhere if we’re too afraid to move forward. What we need now is to have the courage to take the first step into the future.” _

_ Belphie snarled, turning away angrily. _

_ “Don’t think you can fool me with that talk!” _

_ … _

“Ah, right,” Asmo spoke up, making me snap back to reality for a moment. “I remember what happened.”

“We all agreed to Diavolo’s plan,” Satan recalled. “Everyone… save for Belphie.”

“The plan went through,” Levi went on. “I mean, with Belphie as the only Nay, it was a landslide victory.”

“But Belphie wasn’t about to let things lie,” I noted, remembering what Diavolo had told me and Beel back in Purgatory Hall. “He went to see you after the meeting, didn’t he Lucifer? To beg you to stop the program.”

Lucifer nodded, nothing but sorrow on my face.

“He came to my room that very night, alone… he told me he wanted to talk...”

I felt the whiteness coming and I just closed my eyes, waiting for it to hit me. I was beginning to suspect that someone was showing me all this so I would better understand what was going on, and I had a pretty idea of who. Still, I stayed silent and just waited.

…

_ Opening my eyes once more, I found myself in Lucifer’s room. He was sitting at his desk, dealing with a mountain of paperwork as per usual. He seemed stressed, more so than usual. Pacing in front of him was Belphie, who was ranting and raving, all while gripping his pillow to his chest. I arranged myself so I was sitting on the bed, and waited. _

_ “I don’t understand it, and I definitely won’t accept it!” Belphie snapped. _

_ “No matter how many times you may say it, it’s a waste of breath,” Lucifer told him, never looking up from his work. _

_ “Well it’s not a waste of breath to me!” Belphie exclaimed, pointing at himself violently with his thumb before letting out a desperate breath. “Lucifer, you have to be able to do something, right?! Talk to Lord Diavolo and find a way to convince him! Tell him to kill this exchange program thing! Tell him that he needs to rethink things!” _

_ Lucifer actually stopped writing, and I saw a look of remorse cross his face. Belphie seemed to notice it too, but seemed to misread it as terror. _

_ “Are you  _ **_that_ ** _ afraid of Lord Diavolo?” he questioned. “Is that it? Does the idea of disagreeing with him scare you  _ **_that_ ** _ much?!” _

_ Lucifer lowered his pen, finally facing his brother. _

_ “Let me make one thing clear… What Diavolo wants, I want.” _

_ “Oh come on...” Belphie let out before letting out an angry yell and swinging his pillow, scattering an entire stack of papers. “Come on! What happened to your ability to think for yourself, Lucifer?! Are you really nothing more than Diavolo’s puppet now? Have you fallen  _ **_that_ ** _ far?!” _

_ Now Lucifer was on his feet, staring down at his brother. He was a good couple of inches taller than him, and with his heeled boots, he had a couple extra more. This made him even more intimidating as he met his brother’s gaze. _

_ “Belphegor, no matter what you say, it won’t change anything. When a motion is passed by the student council officers, that’s it. It can’t be undone. I have nothing else to say to you on the matter.” _

_ “Maybe not,” Belphie retorted, not even flinching at his brother’s stance, “but I’ve got more to say to you!” His anger broke and he just looked desperate. “I’m begging you, Lucifer! You’re the only one with the ability to persuade Diavolo.” _

_ “I have no interest in trying to persuade him of anything,” Lucifer coldly informed him. “Because the fact is that I agree with his plan for the exchange program.” _

_ That got a gasp out of Belphegor. The look on his face was one of betrayal as he clutched his pillow, burying his face in it. It took me a moment to realize he had tears in his eyes. _

_ “...have you forgotten about Lilith?” he said after a moment. “Have you forgotten about our sis-” _

_ “What does she have to do with any of this?” Lucifer interjected. _

_ That was clearly the wrong thing to say. Belphie looked up from his pillow, his face a mask of pure rage. _

_ “What does she-  _ **_Everything!!_ ** _ It’s because of humans that she-!” He choked, tears finally streaming down his face. “That she’s gone...” _

_ Lucifer sighed a bit, adjusting his jacket in what I was now realizing was a nervous manner. _

_ “It’s time you forgot about that.” _

_ I winced hard at that, knowing immediately Lucifer had fucked up. When I slowly turned to Belphie, the Avatar of Sloth was frozen in place, breathing hard. _

_ “Forget about it?” he whispered, his hands shaking. “You’re telling me… to  _ **_forget_ ** _ about it...? Does that mean you’ve forgotten, then? You’ve forgotten about Lilith?” _

_ Lucifer stayed silent, which just seemed to make things worse. _

_ “It’s unforgivable...” Belphie let out, “that you would just  _ **_forget_ ** _ about her… It’s absolutely unforgivable! I refuse to stand by and let this happen! I refuse to allow an exchange with humans to go forward! Humans...” he said the word like it was slime on his tongue. “They should be wiped from existence!” _

_ “Stop right there, Belphegor,” Lucifer warned, coming out from behind his desk so he was face to face with his youngest brother. “Not another word, or you’ll be guilty of treason against Diavolo.” _

_ Belphie was beyond caring at this point. _

_ “That’s right! That’s exactly what this is! I’m standing up in defiance against Diavolo! If you can’t do it, then  _ **_I will!_ ** _ I’ll wipe out every last human, and kill Diavolo as well! And if you stand in my way, I’ll kill you too!” _

_ As he made this great declaration, he completely transformed, much to Lucifer’s shock. Two twisted rams horns began to grow from his head, and a long, cow-like tail extended from his back. His outfit formed into a black hoodie with a cow-like pattern and a horseshoe stitched on its upper right side. The hoodie was designed with four buckles at the front with one being belted properly. Under it, he had a blue shirt that was the same shade as the inside of the hoodie. He wore black, baggy harem pants with a belt of magenta and blue triangles on the right side. His shoes were short combat boots that revealed some cow-spot birthmarks on his right ankle, which also appeared on the right side of his neck. _

_ Lucifer was shocked for a split second, then transformed himself. The second his wings sprouted from his back, Belphie was stumbling back in shock. _

_ “Enough, Belphie,” Lucifer warned, wings flared outward. “Do you seriously mean to attack me? What would be the purpose of us fighting? What good would come of it?” _

_ Belphie didn’t hear him, charging at his brother. Lucifer caught the fist aimed at him, then twisted Belphie’s arm so it was pinned behind his back. He then began pushing Belphie forward, his other hand coming down on one of his brother’s horns. Belphie hissed at the grab, struggling to get free. _

_ “Let me go!” he snapped, kicking and clawing uselessly. _

_ Lucifer just steered his brother out of the room and I quickly followed, already getting a good idea of where this was going. Sure enough, Lucifer was forcing him towards the stairs to the attic. _

_ “I won’t allow you to stand in Diavolo’s way. You may be my brother, but that’s a bridge too far, and now you will pay the price.” _

_ They reached the top of the stairs, where the attic waited. Lucifer kicked the door open, then shoved Belphie in. As Belphie rubbed his arm and offending horn, Lucifer tore through the skin of his thumb with his fang. He rubbed the welling blood onto the door frame, muttering a spell in a language I don’t recognize. The entire attic seems to shimmer as the wrought iron grate formed in the doorway. By the time Belphie got up, it was too late and he was sealed inside. He threw himself against the door, but it didn’t even budge. _

_ “Let me  _ **_out!_ ** _ ” he demanded. _

_ “No Belphegor,” Lucifer denied, reaching through the bars to grab Belphies D.D.D. from his pocket, tucking it into his own. “From this moment forward, I’ll be keeping you prisoner here. And you’ll remain that way until you manage to calm down and reform your way of thinking.” _

_ Belphie slammed himself against the bars several more times, trying to bust out. Lucifer just stepped back, looking completely torn and heartbroken at his brothers angry and violent acts. _

_ “Why...” Belphie growled, pressing himself against the grate. “Why would you do this, Lucifer?! Is Diavolo more important to you than all of us now.. More important than your brothers?! _

_ Lucifer didn’t answer, his fingers digging into his arms and his teeth grinding against each other. _

_ “ _ **_ANSWER ME!_ ** _ ” _

_ “...yes.” _

_ That answer shook Belphie to his very core. Tears were in his eyes as he dropped to his knees, still clinging to the bars. _

_ “Why...?! Why would you…?!” _

_ He soon devolved into little more than an anguished scream, one that shook the entire attic. Lucifer turned away at that, walking away. As he did, I could see tears in his eyes as he retreated, clearly hating what he’d been forced to do. My heart ached for him so much in that moment, and it stayed that way as the vision came to an end. _

_ … _

My return to reality found me in the middle of a silent room. Tears were running down my face as I had apparently started crying at some point during it all. I wasn’t the only one in tears. Lucifer’s face was one of pure remorse and anguish, his fists clenched tightly on the arm of his chair. Everyone else was either stunned or wiping tears away, the air of the room just full of sorrow. After a moment, Asmo sniffed, mascara running down his cheek.

“Okay, I understand what happened now,” he began, voice heavy with emotion, “but still… couldn’t you have at least told us in secret what was up?”

“Yeah,” Levi nodded, rubbing his eyes. “You didn’t have to  _ lie _ to us, feeding us that story about sending Belphie off to the human world to study. Isn’t that right, Belle?”

It took me a minute to register what he saw asking, and I knew he hadn’t seen what I’d seen. When I finally found my words again, I took a breath.

“He was ashamed...” I realized. “He hated what he was doing to Belphie, what he had to do to protect his family. More than that… he didn’t have a choice.”

Lucifer gave a small nod.

“It’s not that I didn’t trust all of you,” he assured, “I simply thought that it would be best not to involve the rest of you. I was wrong, and I see that now.”

I wiped my eyes again, the scene still playing in my head. Seeing Belphie’s anger, his sheer hatred, it was such a massive contrast to what I had seen when I met him. And the way he’d spoken, mentioning Lilith so many times, it made me wonder what she had to do with all this. I needed to know, and now was my chance. I took another breath, steadying myself.

“Lucifer, why does Belphie hate humans so much? Why does he want to wipe us all out? What… what did we do?”

Everyone was silent, and the sorrow of everything seemed to double. Beel eventually spoke up.

“That-” he stopped, choking up slightly before swallowing and trying again. “That’s not something we usually-”

“Beel,” Mammon interjected, “she deserves to know. Besides, there ain’t any rules sayin’ we can’t talk about what happened with Lilith, is there? So c’mon, let's tell her.”

“Mammon’s right,” Lucifer agreed. “Lilith deserves to be remembered.”

“I had a feeling she was involved,” I remarked, facing everyone.

“So you know about her,” Lucifer noted.

“Not much,” I admitted. “I know she was your youngest sibling and your only sister. I know you all loved her alot,” Lucifer crying over Lilith’s broken body flashed in my mind. “I know that her death was hard on everyone… and that she died in the Fall.”

“That is the bare bones of the story,” Lucifer told me. “Long ago, back when we were still angels, Belphie felt very differently about humans than he does now. He liked them.”

“Uh, I’d say he more than just liked ‘em,” Mammon insisted.

“Yeah, he  _ loved _ them,” Beel declared, laughing a bit, “He loved humans and the human world in general.”

“Oh yes,” Asmo recalled. “He really did. His room was filled to the brim with stuff from the human world. And when he had a chance, he’d sneak down there for a visit.”

“He used to bring me back stuff all the time,” Levi said with a smile. “He knew my favorite anime and manga and game characters, and he’d get me rare character-themes merchandise.”

“He’d regularly go down to the human world without permission, and he was always getting in trouble with Lucifer and Michael for it,” Beel went on. “He’d say he wanted to see how the humans were doing and what they were up to.”

“No matter how many times he got yelled at, it  _ never _ stopped him,” Mammon declared.

“Lilith was especially close to Belphie,” Lucifer recalled, a small smile on his face. “His enthusiasm for the human world rubbed off on her, and she began to take an interest in humans as well.”

“Yeah, Lilith had always been really attached to Belphie,” Beel sighed happily.

“Oh don’t be so modest, Beel,” Asmo insisted, nudging his brother. “I’d say she was pretty attached to you too, Beel. You, Belphie, and Lilith always used to hang around together, laughing and giggling. I was so jealous!”

“Yeah,” Levi agreed. “Whenever you were together, you were like three puppies, playing and having a good time.”

“Hey, whoa!” Mammon interjected. “Lilith was also pretty attached to  _ me! _ Like, we even slept in the same bed once, y’know! She was a big fan of Mammon!”

Asmo giggled, a hand going to his mouth.

“Oh yeah, I remember now! You woke up and started making a scene, yelling about how you’d just had a bad dream.”

“Zip it!” Mammon snapped, glaring at Asmo. “Not. Another. Word.”

“We were all ignoring you, but if I remember correctly, Lilith felt sorry for you and agreed to sleep beside you because you were scared,” Levi commented.

“I said, shut up!”

“That sounds less like she was attached to you, and more like she felt pity for you,” Satan noted.

Lucifer cleared his throat, getting everyone’s attention.

“Yes, now that we’ve got that established, back to the story,” he declared. “Belphie rubbed off on Lilith and she started going down to the human world a lot as well. And like Belphie, she developed an interest in humans. But then, one day… she happened to meet a man. He was  _ human, _ and she fell in love with him.”

“Did he know she was an angel?” I questioned.

“Of course not,” Beel answered. “Whenever we venture to the human realm, whether as angels or demons, we always have to keep our true nature in check. Lilith was no different.”

“She hid her true form so she could have a relationship with him,” Asmo gushed, a hand on his chest. “Now that’s love...”

“She tried to keep it a secret from us,” Beel recalled, laughing slightly, “but eventually, word got out.”

“Lucifer was  _ so _ mad,” Mammon commented. “He was all like, ‘As your older brother, I won’t stand for this!’ Remember, Lucifer?”

Lucifer turned a bit red, looking down.

“...I did go down to the human world once to have a look at the man she was seeing,” he admitted.

“That’s… a little creepy,” Asmo spoke up.

“Nah,” I shot down. “That’s just being an older sibling. I’m the same way with my sister and her boyfriends. What was he like?”

Lucifer’s smile returned and he lifted his head.

“He seemed like a man of virtue to me, a good man. And most importantly, Lilith was  _ happy. _ ” His face fell and a mournful expression took over. “However, that happiness proved to be short-lived. The man she loved was stricken with an incurable illness. Lilith tried to nurse him back to health, she did everything she could… but he showed no signs of recovering...”

“No...” I gasped, covering my mouth as I felt the tears returning. “Lilith...”

“She was afraid of losing him, and in her fear, she made a mistake,” Lucifer went on. “She gave him forbidden food from the Celestial Realm, hoping it would save his life.”

“If only she’d talked to us...” Beel lamented, voice shaky as he too fought back tears. “If she’d just told us what was going on...”

“Even if she had, there’s nothing we could’ve done,” Asmo reminded him. “I mean, altering the lifespan of a human is expressly forbidden.”

“Uh-oh...” I let out, my heart plummeting into my stomach. “What- What happened?”

Lucifer’s fingers dug into his arms, teeth grinding slightly as anger flooded his body. An old wound that clearly never healed reopened in that moment.

“Lilith incurred the wrath of our father, who declared that she was to be punished. She was to be wiped from existence, so that nothing at all was left. Disposed of, as if she were nothing more than garbage.”

Lucifer wasn’t the only one seething. All of the brothers had anger rising off of them. Satan, who came into existence  _ because _ of this rage, just stewed.

“We couldn’t just stand by and let something like that happen,” Asmo declared, sounding so different from his usual self. “As her brothers, we had to do  _ something. _ ”

“Damn right we did,” Beel growled.

“So… Lilith is why you rebelled,” I realized. “You Fell… For her.”

“There were many reasons we rebelled,” Lucifer corrected, “but Lilith’s sentence… that was the catalyst that incited it. Of course… you know how it turned out.”

“Better than you might think,” I said quietly, the earlier vision of the fall still fresh in my mind. “What… What happened to Lilith after you got here?”

“She...” Beel choked again, and this time, he let the tears fall. “She lost her life in the Great Celestial War.”

I spared a glance over at Lucifer, but he remained silent and mournful. I didn’t want to press any further than I already had, especially since I wasn’t quite ready to talk about my strange visions. After a moment, Lucifer gently wiped the corner of his eye with his glove.

“Belphie felt that the man she’d fallen in love with was responsible for all of it. He said that if she hadn’t met him, she’d never have broken that important rule, and she never would have died. Since that day, he’s hated humans.”

“That’s why he couldn’t accept the exchange,” I realized. “Because whenever he thinks of humanity… all he can think of is his sister’s death.”

“And when he turned on Lucifer, he had no choice,” Satan added.

“He did it for Belphie’s own good,” Beel continued. “Lord Diavolo isn’t the sort of demon who’d let someone off the hook if they tried to stand in the way of his dreams. If Lucifer hadn’t stopped Belphie, he would’ve been found guilty of treason for sure.”

“And now because of me, he has,” I let out, burying my face in my hand. “No wonder you wanted to rip me apart, Lucifer… I threatened your brother… He was never your prisoner… you were just trying to protect him in the only way you knew how.”

Lucifer said nothing for a long time, and neither did I. Guilt was rising up in me and it hurt so much. Beel rubbed my back, trying to comfort me.

“I tried so many times to talk some sense into Belphie,” Lucifer said after a moment. “I wanted him to see the truth so badly… but after what I’d done, I was little more than Diavolo’s puppet in his eyes.”

“Are you?” I questioned, remembering how he’d declared Diavolo to be more important than his brothers. “Are you just Diavolo’s puppet?”

“Yeah, that’s what I’d like to know,” Satan chimed in, his anger returning. “ _ Why _ did you pledge yourself to Diavolo?”

Lucifer didn’t answer, though in my ears, his pleas to Diavolo rang over and over again. I could still hear how heartbroken and desperate he was, and how completely and utterly broken he had become. As my eyes fell on Lucifer, he just looked down, lowering his walls.

“...I’m sorry,” he said softly. “Sorry I never said anything. Lilith, she… she didn’t die in that battle.”

You could hear a pin drop from how quiet everything became. Everyone, including me, was stunned. Lilith hadn’t died? Then… Diavolo had saved her that day. But, if that was the case, then where was she? Was she a demon? Had something else happened? So many questioned were rattling around in my mind that I felt like it was about to explode.

“What…?” Satan let out.

“Excuse me?” Asmo gasped.

“Hold on,” Levi requested, beginning to hyperventilate. “No...”

“What the hell?!” Mammon snapped, rising to his feet. “This ain’t the time to be makin’ jokes like that, Lucifer!”

“It’s no joke,” Lucifer swore. “It’s the truth. Lilith didn’t actually die in the Great Celestial War.”

“No...” Beel let out, shaking his head. “No, I saw that arrow hit her. I saw her go down. I watched her die! So  **_how in the realms can she have survived?!_ ** ”

Lucifer flinched slightly from Beel’s outburst, but otherwise remained calm.

“Diavolo saved Lilith when she was on the verge of death,” he explained. “And as compensation, I swore my allegiance to him for all eternity.”

Beel was almost instantly mollified by that.

“So, you did it to save Lilith’s life?” he asked. “That’s why you serve Diavolo? For Lilith?”

“Yes,” he nodded. “I have never told anyone this, ever, but Lilith was reborn as a human.”

“Then, what about her memory?” Levi questioned. “Would she remember being an angel?”

“Nah, no way,” Mammon said, shaking his head. “She would’ve lost all memory of her former life for sure.”

“Hang on,” Satan spoke up. “Have you forgotten how long ago the Great Celestial War was? Even if she was reborn as a human, she’s been dead for a very long time now. Centuries even...”

“Lucifer...” Asmo let out, shaking visibly. “How could you keep something like this from us?!”

“Because we were prohibited from coming into contact with the human Lilith,” Lucifer explained. “She was alive, yes, and nothing was stopping you from venturing up to see her. However, it was strictly forbidden, under any and all circumstances. I thought it was best that I be the only one who had to live with the pain of knowing that.”

“So why couldn’t we go see lilith, huh?!” Mammon demanded.

“Because,” I spoke up, “She was supposed to die. If word got out that someone had saved her and she had been reborn, there would have been a serious reckoning. Not to mention, someone would have probably been sent to kill Lilith, finish what was started.”

“Makes sense...” Levi admitted.

“Still...” Beel let out. “I would have at least liked to have known. Even if I never got to see her again, just know that I-... that I didn’t fail… that she did live… It would have been enough...”

“I made the choice I thought was best at the time,” Lucifer went on.

“It was the wrong one,” I told him. “Do you honestly think any of them loved Lilith any less than you? Do you have any idea how much her death hurt them. If it was my sister… I’d be crushed. I’d want to know if she was okay. Even if I never got to see her again, just knowing she was safe, that she was happy...” tears were welling up for the umpteenth time that night. “If I was in your place, I would have told everyone.”

“Even so, like Satan said, she’s been dead for centuries,‘ Lucifer remarked. “However, if she ended up with the man she loved in the end… then I know she was happy. I truly believe that.”

All of a sudden, Beel got up off the couch. He marched towards Lucifer, and much to everyone’s shock, began hugging him.

“You chose to save Lilith,” he said, never releasing his eldest brother. “You did what you had to in order to keep her alive, didn’t you?” he let out a shuddery breath. “Thank you… and I’m sorry. I’m sorry you had to bear that pain all on your own.”

Lucifer smiled, returning the hug in kind.

“You don’t have anything to apologize for, Beel.”

“Also, I finally understand,” Beel said, pulling back so he could meet his brother’s eye. “I get why you’re so loyal to Lord Diavolo.”

“And yet, that same loyalty ended up hurting Belphie,” Lucifer lamented.

“Do you regret what you did?” I asked.

Beel released Lucifer, returning to his seat so Lucifer could give me his full attention.

“I don’t regret that I swore allegiance to Diavolo in order to save Lilith’s life, no. Regardless of my initial reason for taking that oath, I have great respect for Diavolo, and my desire to see his vision realized is genuine. I’m not doing it against my will. But as for our situation with Belphie… I don’t know… At the time, I thought I had no other choice but to do what I did. But now, I’m not sure anymore. I don’t know what the best course of action would have been, or whether there was something else I could have done.”

“Well, we can’t change what’s already happened,” Satan spoke up. “The real question is, what do we do now?”

“Easy,” I said, standing up. “We go see Belphie. He deserves to know the truth too. Maybe if he knows Lilith did live, and thanks to Diavolo, he’ll finally calm down. If he did, then maybe… Maybe we can convince Diavolo to let him go.”

“Belle!” Beel cheered, grabbing me and hugging me.

“It ain’t gonna be that easy,” Mammon pointed out. “I mean, the guy’s a real good actor. He tricked you into thinkin’ he cared just so he could get out. I’m pretty sure if Diavolo hadn’t shown up when he did, you’d be dead. That alone ain’t exactly gonna win him any brownie points with the Demon Lord.”

“Maybe not, but we have to try,” I insisted, wriggling out of Belphie’s grip. “Your family has been divided and squabbling for far too long. You’ve kept too many secrets and let all this build. Now, it’s time for everyone, including Belphie, to put that aside and start fresh.”

“She’s right,” Levi agreed. “Besides, out of all of us, Belphie would want to know about Lilith.”

“And you have to admit, you want to see Belphie too,” Asmo pressed.

“Of course I do!” Mammon declared. “But Diavolo has him locked up, and Lucifer’s under house arrest, remember?”

“Right,” Satan nodded. “If we did go see him, we’d be disobeying Diavolo...”

All eyes slowly turned to Lucifer, as if waiting for him to say something. He remained silent, much to the annoyance of everyone. Finally, I stood up, getting in his face.

“Who’s more important to you, Lucifer?” I questioned. “Your brothers, or the Demon Lord? Your family, or your boss?” My eyes narrowed. “Belphie, or Diavolo?”

Lucifer met my gaze, then rose to his feet.

“As if you even need to ask,” he said, smiling. “You already know the answer. No matter what, family will always come first.”

I grinned, then grabbed Lucifer’s hand.

“Then what are we standing around here for?!” I exclaimed. “We need to go get Belphie back!”

Lucifer froze when I grabbed his hand, looking at it, then at me. I’m not sure what was going through his head, but for a moment, it felt like he wasn’t looking at me. Instead, he seemed to be seeing someone else in my place. But in the end, he just smiled and returned my grip.

“Couldn’t have put it better myself.”

With a loud cheer, we all took off out of the Library, prepared to storm the Demon Lord’s Castle and rescue Belphie. I didn’t know what would happen when we did, but at the very least, we were going to try.


	30. The Special Task

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In order to free Belphie, Belle is given a special task

There have been many times since my arrival in the Devildom that I have been terrified. It’s actually quite a startling high number, thinking back on it. However, in that moment as we all marched towards the Demon Lord’s Castle, I wasn’t scared at all. Instead, all I felt was a strong determination and my own patented brand of “stupid stubborn” burning like a fire within me. I never let go of Lucifer’s hand, and he never released mine. No one else, not even Mammon, argued about it once. All of us only had one goal in mind: getting Belphie back.

Upon reaching the palace, I went right up to the door, knocking on them as hard as I dared. I knew there was little chance we’d be able to sneak in, so the direct approach was our only option. The doors were opened by Barbatos, who smiled upon seeing us all.

“You’re earlier than we anticipated,” he commented, stepping to the side to allow us entry. “The young master is in his study, waiting for you.”

We marched past Barbatos, who followed after us as we made for Diavolo’s study. Lucifer took the lead, being the most familiar with the caste, and brought us to the study. He opened the door to a very large room that almost reminded me of the Oval Office. In fact, it was certainly big enough to be. Just switch out the Devildom decor and change the flags, and it would have been.

“Diavolo,” Lucifer began, gripping my hand for strength. “We need to talk.”

Diavolo looked up from the various papers he was working on, smiling when he saw Lucifer.

“Well hello, Lucifer,” he greeted. “And yes, I assumed as much when I saw you and yours at the door.”

“Young master,” Barbatos spoke up, “if I’m not mistaken, Lucifer is supposed to be under house arrest.”

“Ugh,” Mammon groaned. “Just listen to you. You think you’re real cute with that ‘if I’m not mistaken’ stuff, don’t ya? How about you come out and say what you mean!”

“Mammon, enough,” Lucifer warned before turning to face Diavolo again. “I came here of my own free will. No one forced me, and I’ll accept whatever punishment is due. But there is something else we need to take care of first.”

“You and your entire family,” Barbatos noted, taking note of everyone gathering in the office.

“Of course,” Satan remarked. “All of us have a stake in this.”

“And there’s no way I’m gonna miss seeing Lucifer in all his glory,” Asmo declared.

“Right,” Levi agreed. “I even set up the DVR to record the Ruri-chan series marathon just so I could be here!”

“So, you’ve all come along as a moving show of support and brotherly love,” Barbatos noted before his gaze fell on me. “Hmm, but it would appear that one among your number neither qualifies as a relative, nor a demon.”

I swallowed hard, but did my best to keep my fear off my face. Beel then stepped forward, a protective hand on my shoulder.

“That’s right,” he said. “Belle isn’t a demon, and we’re not related, but that doesn’t mean we can’t be on the same side. Isn’t that right, Belle?”

“Damn right it is,” I nodded. “I may just be an exchange student, and maybe this is over my head, but I’m not leaving their side. Not a chance.”

I could feel all the brothers beaming at my words, and Lucifer gave my hand a soft squeeze of gratitude. We all then turned to Diavolo, who seemed to be happy about our declaration.

“I see,” he let out, standing up from behind his desk to approach us all, though his eyes never left me. “Well, Belle, you may be a human, but it would seem you’ve found a home for yourself here in the Devildom. I have to say, I find that comforting.”

I said nothing, not sure what to make of his demeanor. Despite how coldly he’d told me back in Purgatory Hall that this was none of my business, he appeared pleased with my presence. I didn’t have long to mull on this before Diavolo turned to Lucifer, his face becoming more serious.

“Now then, Lucifer, how about we hear what you have to say.”

Lucifer nodded, finally releasing my hand as he stepped forward to face Diavolo. I could tell it was taking everything in him to stand up to the demon he’d sworn fealty to, but he still did it.

“Diavolo,” he began, hands behind his back and back straight, “never before have I opposed you in any matter until now. Give me back my brother…” His fists clenched tightly. “Give me back Belphegor.”

Diavolo was silent, though his face made it clear he’d seen this request coming. After a long moment, something in Lucifer cracked.

“...please,” he said so quietly I almost missed it.

Diavolo sighed, idly brushing some hair from his face.

“Truth be told, I knew,” he admitted. “I knew you were hiding Belphegor, and I knew why. Your loyalty to me forced you to deceive your brothers, and I knew that was the source of your guilt. I saw how you struggled with it, how hard it was being pulled in two directions at once. And it made me sad.”

Lucifer didn’t know what to say, clearly stunned by this information. I’ll admit, I was surprised too. Diavolo truly was a character I would never truly understand. However, I didn’t have time to mull on this before Beel came forward, angry once again.

“Well if that’s true...” he began as I grabbed his arm, just barely stopping him from getting into the Demon Lord’s face. “If that's true, then give us back Belphegor! That would solve everything, wouldn’t it?!”

Diavolo shook his head at that.

“The Devildom, Celestial Realm, and the human world,” he said. “The balance between our three worlds is a delicate and fragile thing. In order to maintain this balance, we must have rules. Belphegor sought to violate those rules, and that is something I cannot overlook.”

“But-” I let out, struggling for words in a desperate bid to save Belphie. “But Belphegor never actually did anything. Threatened to, sure, but he never acted on any of it.”

“Yeah, what she said!” Mammon shouted, gesturing to me while hiding behind me. “Ya can’t be mad at something he never did!”

“You know,” Levi spoke up, glancing at his brother from the side, “you’d sound a lot more persuasive if you weren’t  _ hiding _ behind Belle right now.”

Mammon merely gave him a middle finger salute, which led to Levi bringing up his foot and kicking Mammon. The greedy demon yelped, ending up sprawled on the ground beside me. I stepped away from him out of shock as he got up, glaring daggers at the third brother. While this was going on Diavolo continued to address the issue I’d brought up.

“I’m afraid it’s not that simple,” he lamented. “I can’t forget my position, or my mission. And let’s not forget, Belphegor is your brother, Lucifer. You are known as the seven rulers of the underworld, and that’s more than just a fancy title. You have great power here in the Devildom, and with great power comes great responsibility.”

I barely suppressed the urge to make a Spider-Man quip, knowing this was neither the time, nor the place.

“I can’t afford to give Belphegor special treatment,” Diavolo concluded.

“You’re wrong!” I blurted out before my filter could kick in.

Almost immediately, I covered my mouth, feeling like a complete and utter idiot. All of the brothers were now looking at me like I had just crossed a serious line, which I’m pretty sure I did. Barbatos’ expression looked downright murderous as he glared at me.

“Am I now?” Diavolo questioned, looking genuinely curious. “And what makes you say that?”

I began scrambling for an answer, anything that could help me recover from this massive faux pas. Honestly, I was completely panicking. What the hell was I doing telling the Demon Lord he was wrong?! I was just a human in the world of demons! I didn’t have any-!

It dawned on me in that moment what I could do. I let out a breath, regaining my senses and straightening up.

“I’m the human world’s representative, right?” I asked. “Belphie’s actions threatened my realm, and he personally used me in his escape plan. As such, I should have a say in what happens to him. You may think that this is just an affair for demons, but you’re wrong. I have just as much stake in this as everyone else here.”

“Belle...” Lucifer warned.

“No, Lucifer,” Diavolo interjected. “It’s fine. What she says has some merit.”

He seemed to mull over something for a moment as I let out the breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding. My legs felt like jello and I nearly collapsed where I was standing. I felt several hands coming up to catch me, as if sensing my moment of weakness. I gave everyone grateful smiles as Diavolo seemed to come to a decision.

“Alright Belle, how about we do this? I’m going to assign you a special task, and if you manage to complete it all by yourself, I’ll let Belphegor go free.”

“Deal,” I said without a moment of hesitation.

“I had a feeling that’s what you’d decide.”

“Diavolo,” Lucifer spoke up, “what exactly is this  _ task _ that you’re assigning?”

“Oh yes, allow me to explain. There’s one thing about this entire situation that’s bothering me, you see. There’s something that needs clarification, and I want Belle to provide it.”

“What is it?” I asked. “What needs clarification?”

“Lucifer was hiding Belphegor in the attic room, which was sealed with very powerful magic. The door could only be opened through the combined power of the brothers, sans Belphegor. However, you never made a pact with Lucifer, and yet the door still opened.”

“I’ll admit, that’s stumped me too,” I nodded. “I don’t know how I can provide you with the information you want when I don’t know.”

“I have that covered, belle. You’re going to use Barbatos’ powers to travel back in time and ascertain exactly who it was that released Belphie. It’s possible that some third party is involved in all this without any of us knowing about it. I want to know exactly what happened.”

“Barbatos’ powers?” I questioned, glancing back at the demonic butler. “What kind of powers?”

“I’m certain he will be happy to explain,” Diavolo assured me.

I moved to go talk to Barbatos, but was almost immediately intercepted.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Mammon insisted, a hand coming down on my sternum to stop me. “Wait just one second. We can’t just let you do something like this alone!”

“Agreed,” Lucifer spoke up, “Someone should be there just in case. What if one of us brothers went along? It could be anyone-”

“No,” I shot down. “Diavolo made it clear that I have to do this alone. It’s the only way to save Belphie.” I faced all the brothers, mustering up the most confident smile that I could. “I’ve got this, I promise.”

There was a moment of silence as everyone looked at me. Then Levi rushed forward and hugged me. Mammon looked shocked for a moment, then he too got in on the hug. Beel followed right after him, then Satan came and joined the massive hug. I laughed as I was basically buried in this massive demonic dog pile. I then looked up to see Lucifer watching me, relief and gratitude in my eyes. I pulled myself free of everyone, approaching him with a smile. After a moment, he reached out and hugged me.

“Thank you...” he said softly, his hand cradling my head as he pulled me closer. “I’m sorry for getting you caught up in all of this, but it seems you’re the only one who can help Belphie now.” His grip tightened on me and his voice became tinged with desperation. “Please come through for him...”

“I will,” I swore as he finally let me go. “One way or another, all seven of you  _ will _ be together again.”

…

Leaving the brothers in Diavolo’s study, I followed Barbatos through the labyrinthian palace halls. He seemed to no longer be angry with me, or he had merely elected to just do what Diavolo had told him to do. Either way, his calm, cool demeanor had returned as he escorted me off.

“I’ve been serving Lord Diavolo for a very long time, much longer than you might think,” he told me out of the blue. “But I must say, I never imagined the day would come when I’d actually be showing a human to my room.” He laughed lightly, tucking his lighter colored hair strands behind his ear. “Then again, I’ve been around a  _ very _ long time, and I suppose you can never tell what might end up happening in an interval of time as long as that.”

“Wait, your room?” I questioned. “I thought I was being sent to the past.”

“Oh, that’s right. You still aren’t aware of how my powers work, are you?”

“Aside from that binding spell you did, and standard demon stuff, I wasn’t even aware you  _ had _ powers,” I explained. “Much less time manipulation.”

“It is not exactly time manipulation,” Barbatos corrected. “I have the ability to see into both the past and the future, and I can send people to either one by using one of the countless doors in my room.”

“So, if you can see into the past and the future, did you know all of this was going to happen?”

“No, I did not. Also, imagine for a moment, what it would be like to know everything that will happen from now until the end of time.”

“Sounds like something that will drive you crazy,” I remarked.

“I wouldn’t go that far,” Barbatos shrugged. “If anything, I find that nothing could possibly be more boring.”

“I guess so,” I admitted. “I mean, knowing exactly what was gonna happen all day everyday, nothing would be exciting anymore. You’d know everything and it would just be… expected.”

“Exactly,” Barbatos nodded. “Which is precisely why I find it so very interesting and refreshing to have a chance to take a human like you into my room.”

We eventually came to a stop in front of a very unassuming wooden door. I blinked, looking at it in confusion. During the Retreat, I had seen many doors in the Demon Lord’s Castle, and all of them had very intricate carvings and designs. This door looked like it was to a broom closet instead of to a mysterious room full of time hopping doors.

“Alright, we’ve arrived,” he declared.

“This is your room?” I asked.

Barbatos laughed slightly, placing his hand on the handle.

“I’d thought you would have learned by now, that not everything is as it seems.”

He opened the door for me and I stepped in, my eyes going wide at the sight of Barbatos’ room. I couldn’t see any furniture or anything, instead, all I could see where staircases. Not just normal staircases either, Escherian staircases going in every direction imaginable. Woven in between this tangled mess of stairs was a couple of trees, and even some roman-looking columns revealing a blue, cloudy sky. My jaw must have hit the floor as I stared, only snapping back into place when Barbatos gently closed it with two fingers under my chin.

“Welcome to my room, Belle.”

“Whoa...” I gasped.

He let me marvel for a moment, then snapped his fingers in front of my face to draw my attention. I was startled for a moment, then quickly recovered and faced him.

“Now then,” he began, “I’m going to explain several points about travelling to the past, things you must be cautious of.”

“Right,” I nodded, making sure I was paying close attention.

“First, you must not reveal that you are from the future to anyone you meet in the past. Otherwise, you risk warping the timeline.”

“Makes sense,” I nodded. “First rule of time travel club, don’t talk about time travel club.”

“For the very same reason, it would not be good at all if you were to meet your past self.”

“I’ve seen enough movies to know where that leads,” I nodded. “So Past Belle stays away from Future Belle.”

“To be frank, it would probably be best if you didn’t make contact with anyone at all. If you can, ascertain who set Belphegor free and then come right back, without speaking to anyone along the way.”

“Right,” I nodded before something dawned on me. “Quick question… how  _ do _ I get back? I know you said I’d be using a door to get there, but how would I get back?”

“Ah yes, I nearly forgot. When you wish to return to this world, all you have to do is knock on the door you used to get to the past, and then proceed through it. That same door will bring you back here.”

“It’s that simple?”

“It’s that simple. Any more questions, Belle?”

I let out a breath, feeling my nerves rising. I shook out my hands, trying to calm them.

“I’m a little worried I’m gonna mess us,” I admitted. “I mean… a lot’s riding on this, and… I’m nervous as hell.”

Barbatos smiled at me, placing a gentle hand on my shoulder.

“Don’t be,” he told her. “I’m certain you’ll do your best, and that’s all we can ask for.”

He straightened up, then held up an arm as if to offer himself as an escort. I took it, following him across the various staircases. I kept my eyes closed, not wanting to give myself vertigo from all the impossible directions we were walking in. Soon, we came to a stop and I cracked an eye open. We were standing in front of a door with an ornate hourglass carved into it, one that Barbatos opened for me. I shielded my eyes as all I saw was an endless whiteness.

“Good luck, Belle,” he told me with a smile. “And safe travels.”

With that send off, I stepped through the door.

…

As everything began to settle around me, I rubbed my eyes and blinked spots from my vision. As I did, I found myself standing in the doorway of Mammon’s room, where all of the brothers were gathered on the couches in the center. At the moment, all of them were focused on Satan, who seemed to just be sitting down to join them.

“Well, look who’s here?!” Mammon excitedly proclaimed. “Nice work, Satan!”

“Where were you when you disappeared on them?” Levi questioned. “I heard Belle scream from here?”

It dawned on me that I had been transported back to the moment everyone was pulling their prank to try and get me and Lucifer to bond. On the bright side, they were so wrapped up in their conversation that they didn’t notice me. I began very slowly and carefully trying to hide, not wanting to expose myself and ruin everything.

“On the staircase, where the portraits line the walls,” Satan answered.

He adjusted his sleeve, but not quickly enough apparently. Asmo locked onto his wrist and immediately lashed out and grabbed it. Satan yelped as Asmo lifted his wrist high in the air.

“Satan you sly dog! You made a pact with Belle!”

“Wait, what?!” Mammon exclaimed, practically launching himself over his coffee table to look at Satan’s wrist. “You have got to be kidding me!  _ You?! _ ”

“Yes,” Satan let out, ripping his wrist back before sliding his sleeve back down. “I wanted to, and she said yes. No need to make a big deal of it. Besides, shouldn’t we focus on the fact that Belle and Lucifer are finally alone together?”

“Right!” Levi proclaimed happily. “Operation: “Get Lucifer Alone with Belle, Forcing Them to Have a Heart-To-Heart, at Which Point They’ll Suddenly Open Up to Each Other, Have a Great Talk, and Totally Make Up”, Horror-themed edition is so far a success!”

“I don’t like how scared she sounded,” Beel spoke up, munching on some snacks laid out on the table. “Did we have to do a horror-themed plan?”

“Hey, once they find that game, I’m sure she’ll be alright,” Mammon insisted. “Once she knows what’s going on, Belle will calm down and get right down to business. That’s just the kind of human she is.”

“Awww,” Asmo gushed. “It’s so cute how fondly you talk about Belle like that.”

Mammon turned red, rising to his feet.

“Sh-SHUT UP!” he shouted, rushing for the door. “Come on! Let’s go spy on them or something!”

He rushed to the door so fast I didn’t have time to change hiding spots. As such, he ended up tripping right over me. He cried out in shock, falling to the ground. I immediately turned on instinct to help him, completely forgetting myself for a moment. The collective shrieks that came from all of the brothers upon seeing me quickly reminded me of exactly where I was supposed to be.

“What the-?!” Levi exclaimed, jumping to his feet. “How can… but… WHAT?!”

“Belle?!” Satan gasped.

“Wh-What’re you doin’ here, Belle?!” Mammon exclaimed, scrambling to his feet.

“Yeah, you’re supposed to be with Lucifer!” Levi shouted.

“Satan, are you sure you weren’t spotted when you slipped away?” Asmo accused.

“Of course, she followed you here,” Beel rationalized.

“There’s no way she saw me,” Satan insisted. “We all heard that scream.”

I just kept my mouth shut, determined to just let them assume whatever until I could make a clean getaway. Luckily for me, the brothers seemed keen on just talking among themselves while I stood there in shaky, stunned silence.

“Still,” Beel pointed out. “Whether she followed you or not, our plan’s clearly failed.”

“Okay then, guess our only chance it to come clean,” Levi let out, fiddling with his bracelet. “Belle, please don’t be mad at us, and  _ please _ don’t use the stay command on us for this...”

“Aw man...” Mammon whined, already rubbing his wrist. “This is gonna hurt...”

“We’ve been caught red-handed, and we did scare her bad,” Beel reminded him. “She’d be well within her right.”

“But you have no idea how much it  _ sucks! _ I  **_hate_ ** being ordered to stay, especially when she adds ‘shut up’ to the order.”

“I got this,” Satan insisted, stepping towards me and seemingly bracing himself. “If anyone deserves to be stayed, it’s me since I’m the one that made her scream.” He took a deep breath and met my eye. “As you can see, none of us actually vanished. We were trying to get you and Lucifer alone, hoping you’d make up. That’s why we started disappearing on you, one by one.”

“The horror-themed thing was Levi’s idea!” Mammon shouted, pointing right at Levi. “He even got a game based on the House of Lamentation myth to make it all seem so real!”

“Sellout!” Levi snapped.

I was wracking my brain, trying to figure out what to say or do in this situation. However, I was spared that by Asmo suddenly perking up.

“Hold on,” he insisted. “Maybe it’s not too late. This could still work.”

“Huh?” Beel questioned, a handful of chips in his mouth.

“It’s not too late!” Asmo insisted, turning back to me. “Belle, you need to go back to Lucifer. Say you were hunting in Levi’s room and found the game.”

“Asmo, you’re a genius!” Mammon exclaimed. “Just play along, act like it’s all for the game, and our plan can still work!”

“That could work,” Beel mused.

“It could, yes,” Satan nodded. “Belle’s just now privy to the plan, but it doesn’t matter, so long as the end result is her and Lucifer making up.”

“Well, what are you just standing around here for?!” Mammon exclaimed, grabbing my arm and pulling me towards the door. “Get moving! Hurry!”

He opened the door, pushing me out into the hall before carefully closing it behind him. I just stood there for a moment, completely and utterly stunned by what had just happened. Once I realized I was in the clear, I sagged against the wall in utter relief.

“That… was way too close...”

“Oh come on!” Lucifer’s and my own voice shouted from Levi’s room.

I jumped at the noise, then began carefully sliding down the hall towards Levi’s room. As I did, I could make out my own angry rant through the door.

“I’m going to strangle Levi when this is over. I will make him transform, and strange him with his own damn tail!”

I winced, feeling so foolish for being so upset about something so trivial, especially with everything that was going on after this moment. Granted, the past version of me had no way of knowing that, so it made sense something like this plan would get under her skin. I just leaned on the wall, unaware of how quickly the conversation was moving on.

“For one, I say we retire to the library,” Lucifer declared. “We can sit by the fire in some form of comfort, and given what the game’s told us, I believe it’s safe to say that neither of us will be disappearing randomly.”

“Thank G-” I heard my past self cough, catching herself. “That’s a relief.”

That’s when I heard footsteps approaching the door, and I realized I was completely exposed. Barbatos had made it explicitly clear I could  _ not _ meet my past self, and now I was about to have a face to face confrontation with her. In sheer panic, I began looking for somewhere to hide, only to find absolutely nothing. I was hyperventilating, leaning against the wall as if trying to disappear into the pattern in the wall… paper…

LILITH’S ROOM!!

Knowing I had seconds, I dove for the wall between Lucifer and Beel’s room. I began running my fingers along the pattern with shaking fingers until I finally found the Enochian words I was looking for.

“When the morning star dwelt in the heavens, its light shone down upon this one, sparkling brilliantly, eighth of the eight...” I recited aloud, my voice a hushed whisper as I struggled to remember the translation Beel had given. “Lilith...”

The second those words left my lips, the wall began to glow and the golden archway formed, along with the white door that rested in its frame. I ripped the door open, diving through and shutting it behind me. I leaned against the door, panting heavily as I heard footsteps outside. They walked past the door, then vanished from sight. Once they were gone, I just slumped to the ground, placing a hand over my chest.

“Jesus… is this just gonna be my night for close calls?”

Adrenaline still coursing through me, I stayed where I was, just trying to calm myself down. Oddly enough, the room itself seemed to be doing wonders for my nerves. It was warm, thanks to the light of the Celestial realm streaming through the windows. More than that, despite having only been in this room once, I couldn’t help this strange sense of familiarity. Slowly I stood up, walking carefully through the room.

“I… I know this place...” I whispered to no one in particular, my fingers gently running along the white sheet covering a large bed. “But… how do I-?”

There was a knock at the door, but it sounded so weird, like it was echoing in my mind. Oddly enough, I wasn’t scared by the sound, nor did I feel any anxiety or worry about someone finding me. Instead, I just stood there and watched as the door opened, having to shield my eyes once more from bright light flooding in as Levi came walking in.

What really weirded me out was that Levi seemed to be… fluctuating. I’d see him how I was used to him, in his casual otaku attire, then I’d blink, and he’d be completely different. He would be wearing a white and blue, skin-tight outfit with golden accents, colors I was coming to see as typical angel clothes. The halo that blinked in an out of existence on his head definitely helped that particular image.

“I thought I’d find you in here,” he said before glancing around. “Wait, Belphie’s not here?”

“No, he’s not,” I answered, another woman’s voice overlapping over my own.

“Huh, that’s weird,” Levi remarked, tapping his chin. “He was just telling me that he was going to stop by your room. Both of you were playing hide-and-seek, right? He said he couldn’t find you, and he looked like he was about to cry.”

“Oh Belphie...” I let out, that same voice overlapping my own. “I better go find him before he makes himself too upset.”

“Good idea,” Levi agreed. “I mean, it’s pretty hard to say who’s it at this point.”

I gave a nod as Levi turned and prepared to leave.

“See you...” his voice trailed off, and I couldn’t make out what he said next as he vanished back into the brightness of the door.

As the door closed, I shook my head, blinking rapidly and rubbing my face.

“What the...” I let out. “Was that another vision? This is getting way too surreal...”

Slowly and carefully, I approached the door. A bit nervous, I took hold of the doorknob and peeked outside. To my relief, the strange brightness was gone, and the gloom of the House of Lamentation was there where it belonged. I checked the hall, making sure Lucifer and my past self were gone, then carefully slipped out of Lilith’s room. The door began to vanish not long after I closed it, but I didn’t care. It had served its purpose, and I had a mission to complete. Setting the confusion of my visions aside, I made a beeline for the attic.


	31. The Whole Truth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some amazing information is brought to light.

Traversing up the large, spiral staircase to the attic, my head was beginning to hurt. The visions refused to leave me alone, all of the memories and strange things I’d seen this evening alone making me feel unsteady. I stopped for a moment, gripping the railing as I tried to catch my breath. In the distance, I could hear voices arguing, one I recognized as Belphie’s.

“What scares you is the thought of disappointing Diavolo, isn’t it?!” he accused, and I knew immediately who he was yelling at, even before his next words confirmed it. “Say something, Lucifer! The old Lucifer wasn’t like this. He wasn’t afraid of what someone else thought of him. He wasn’t pathetic like that.”

“You’re welcome to think what you want, Belphegor,” Lucifer’s voice told him. “Also… I’d say you’ve changed as well.”

My vision swam a bit as someone began coming down the stairs. My knuckles were white as Lucifer came down the stairs. He walked right through me, quite literally, and I saw him dissipate into dust as he did. I closed my eyes and began a slow count of ten, trying to regulate my breathing.

“Get a grip, Belle,” I whispered to myself. “Belphie’s counting on you.”

“Someone...” I heard Belphie sob, his voice much clearer than before. “Anyone, please...”

“Belphie,” I gasped, eyes flying open as I shot up the stairs.

I took the stairs two at a time, tripping occasionally as I rushed to the top. Once I finally got there, I froze, looking utterly shocked. Where the door to the attic should have been, I saw nothing but a blank wall. I placed my hand on it, and it even felt like a solid wall.

“No...” I let out, feeling the wall desperately. “No, it- it’s right here… the attic door, it’s… it’s supposed to be right here! Belphie!”

I don’t know if he didn’t hear me, or if the magic of the wall blocked all sound, but there was no answer. I began to breathe hard, banging on the wall as hard as I could.

“No!” I shouted. “No! Let him out!”

I continued banging desperately, then I felt the same warmness from the room overtake me. My pact bracelet began to glow, power swirling around my hand as I screamed again, the voice from before overlapping with mine.

“ ** _Let him OUT!!_ **”

This time when I hit the wall, there was a very loud crack. I froze, looking at my hand as all the power I had unknowingly gathered began to seep into the wall. From the impact point, large, multicolored cracks began to form. I stepped back, gasping in shock as the wall began to crumble away, revealing the attic room within. The pieces disappeared as they hit the floor, dissolving into multi-colored sparkles and leaving the door wide open. I stepped through, still completely stunned, then my eyes fell on Belphie. He was asleep, and from the tears in his eyes, he had been crying in his sleep.

“Belphegor?” I called out.

“...Lilith,” Belphie whimpered. “I miss you… Lilith...”

“Belphie, I’m sorry,” I told him, my heart aching for him.

Slowly, the sleeping demon began to stir. He sat up, rubbing his eyes and moaning. Then he spotted me standing by his bed and practically shot to his feet. I backed up slightly, especially when I saw the angry look in his eye.

“Wh-what are _you_ doing here?” he demanded. “What’s going on? How did you get _in_ here?”

“I-... I don’t know,” I admitted. “I just… I wanted to get you out, so I… I broke the barrier...”

“Wait,” Belphie cut me off, turning to look at the now open door. “You… you broke the barrier… the door’s open… How?!”

“I wish I knew,” I answered, still reeling from the shock.

“Amazing,” Belphie gasped, looking excited and relieved before laughing and grabbing me into a tight hug. “This is amazing! Yes! You set me free! You’ve released me, just like you said you would! Thank you so much! I knew you’d come through for me!” He laughed again, spinning me around. “There’s no way Lucifer or Lord Diavolo ever imagined _this_ would happen! To think that I was saved by a _human!_ ”

He began laughing harder, and his grip on me became tighter. I suddenly felt a wave of fear wash over me as he leaned in close, whispering in my ear.

“All I can do is thank you, Belle,” he told me, a hard edge to his voice while his smile never faded. “Now I can finally achieve what I set out to do.”

It was getting hard to breath, and my chest was starting to hurt. I tried to push against him, but he just pulled me closer. I tried to speak, but no words would come from my crushed lungs.

“Ah, this feeling...” he mused. “It’s been so long since I’ve touched a human.”

By this point, I could hear some of my ribs snapping from the pressure. I let out a strangled cry, tears beginning to run down the side of my face. He didn’t let up, and I could feel him transforming around me, his tail swishing into view of my bleary eyes.

“So, Belle...” he hissed, voice laced with nothing but malice and hatred, “how can I express how I’m feeling right now? What can I do?”

He threw me to the ground and I coughed, crying out as I hit the ground. Before I even had a chance to even try to escape, Belphie was on top of me. He grabbed my wrist in one hand, claws digging into my skin as he pinned them above my head. I tried to struggle, but his grip was like iron, and I couldn’t break free.

“You humans really are foolish, idiotic, weak creatures, aren’t you?” he sneered, his other hand coming down on my throat. “You’re so stupid that I can’t help but laugh.”

I kicked uselessly, trying to get him off me, but it was no good. Even worse, I knew that this time, there would be no timely rescue. By now, no doubt everyone was in the library, trying to stop a completely different me from being murdered.

“Don’t blame me for tricking you, blame yourself for falling for it.” Belphie let out a manic laughter, his eyes gleaming sadistically. “If you die, the exchange program will be ruined, and Diavolo’s reputation will be in tatters.”

“Belphie...” I managed to choke out.

“ **_DON’T CALL ME THAT!!_ ** ” Belphie howled, his grip tightening on my throat. “You don’t get to call me that. No human will **_ever_ ** get to call me that! I **_hate_ ** humans! **_I hate them more than anything in the three worlds!_ **”

I was struggling even more now, my vision swimming as it became hard to focus. Belphie’s manic smile returned as the hand pinning my wrists squeezed hard enough to snap even more bones.

“Does it hurt?” he taunted. “Finding it hard to breathe? I’m sure it must be _very_ unpleasant.” He leaned in again, and I could feel his fangs scraping on my ear as he spoke. “I have to say, seeing a human face twisted in pain like this… it’s so much fun that I can barely stand it!”

By now, I could feel myself slipping away. My struggles became less and less, and everything began to fade away into an inky, black nothingness. Part of me wondered where I would end up when I died, and that was my last thought before oblivion set in.

…

Air returned to my lungs so quickly that my chest hurt. I gasped and sat up, coughing and gulping down air so hard I was choking. As reality began to settle, I tried to get my bearings. However, all I could see around me was an endless expanse of white, no discernable features as far as the eye could see. I tried to stand, but that’s when a warm hand came down on my shoulder.

“Easy there, Belle,” a woman’s voice insisted. “Don’t overexert yourself.”

That voice… I knew it well. It was the one that had been overlapping with mine back in Lilith’s room. It was also the voice from my dream so long ago. Very slowly, I began to turn around, hoping to get a look at the woman.

She was an angelic beauty, one that couldn’t have been older than me. She had long, fiery red hair that cascaded down her back, a braid or two lining it with golden ribbons woven in. Her eyes were the color of sunlight, and they sparkled with more love and kindness than any human I’d ever met. She was wearing what looked like a white sundress, golden sandals on her feet and a sky blue shawl on her shoulder. Seeing her, I knew almost immediately who she was.

“Lilith...” I gasped. “It’s you… isn’t it?”

Lilith smiled warmly, reaching out to brush a lock of my hair from my face.

“I knew you were the right choice,” she said softly. “Oh Belle, I’ve been waiting for so long for you to find me.”

“My dream...” I recalled. “The visions… that was you, wasn’t it? You were showing me all those things.”

Lilith nodded, her smile never fading.

“You needed to know the truth, all of it.”

“And you… You’re how I was able to open the door. You lent me your power, making up for me not having a pact with Lucifer… this whole time… it was you.”

“Yes,” Lilith nodded again. “Lucifer can be quite stubborn, especially these days. I figured once you had five, I could easily substitute for the sixth, and finally free Belphie.”

“But wait,” I insisted, thinking back to what I remembered of Lilith’s story. “Lucifer said you were reborn as a human, that you had no memory of your time as an angel. Yet… you seem to know everything… How?” 

Lilith looked down, a hand going to her side. A quick flash in my mind reminded me that it was the side where the arrow had pierced, the blow that had ended her life as an angel.

“I was reborn, yes. Thanks to Lucifer’s sacrifice, I became a human. I found the man I’d fallen in love with, and even though I had forgotten, I still knew I loved him. We married, and I lived out my life happily as a human. But… after I died, my memories returned to me. I remembered who I really was.”

“So all this time, ever since you remembered, you’ve been watching over them...”

“Of course I have,” Lilith insisted, pulling her knees to her chest. “I’m worried about them, especially Belphie. By now, I’ve long forgotten how to get to the Celestial Realm, and I can no longer just stand by and watch.”

Tears began to run down her face as she turned to me. She took my hands in her, a pleading expression in her face.

“I’ll lend you my powers,” she told me, “so please… save them… You’re the only one who can… Please, Belle...”

“But… why me?” I asked. “I’m nothing special...”

“Yes, you are,” Lilith insisted as everything began to fade away. “You’re my...”

…

I sat up on the ground, panting slightly. I immediately began assessing myself for damage, trying to figure out just how bad off I was. To my complete surprise, I was completely fine. All of my bones were in one piece, my throat didn’t even hurt, and breathing was completely unhindered. I couldn’t help but sigh in relief at that, leaning back on what I realized was the staircase to the attic. From what I could only guess was blood on some of the steps, Belphie must have thrown me down when he assumed I was dead.

“Thanks, Lilith,” I whispered softly, figuring she had been the one to heal my body.

As I pulled myself to my feet, I could hear voices coming from downstairs. It was clear an argument was going on. I wasn’t sure how long I had been unconscious, but no doubt Belphie had rejoined his brothers, along with Past Me. Knowing I needed to know what was going on, I carefully descended the stairs, trying to get a better idea of what was being said.

…

I reached the top of the second floor, where I could see all the brothers gathered in a large circle around Mammon. He had someone in his lap, someone I quickly realized was Past Me, and he looked on the verge of tears as he clung to them. I had to cover my mouth to keep myself from crying out at the state of the other me’s body. She was covered in blood, had thick bruises around her neck, and looked like she’d almost been eviscerated.

“Belle!” Mammon cried as he clung to the other me. “Hang in there, Belle!”

Belphegor, now human looking once more, was utterly cackling, clearly proud of what was going on.

“Mammon, you look like such a _fool!_ ” he declared. “A human’s about to kick the bucket, and yet here you are panicking as if it’s the end of the world!”

“Belphie...” Lucifer snarled, just barely holding himself back as he knelt by Mammon’s side. “You...”

“Belphie what have you done?!” Beel demanded, rising to his feet and glaring at his twin.

“No, no, no, no...” Levi whimpered, hands shaking as he held the other me’s limp hand. “What’s going to happen to Belle?!”

“She’s a human,” Satan lamented, hands shaking as he clung to his jacket like it was a life preserver in a storm. “With injuries this bad, the chances of survival are...”

“Lucifer...” Asmo choked, shamelessly crying as he grabbed his brother’s sleeve. “Lucifer please! Do **_something!!_ **”

Lucifer just looked completely and utterly distraught, like he couldn’t decide whether to be mournful or furious. But more than that, he just looked so completely and utterly broken. Belphie’s words about how my death would spell ruin for the Exchange Program came flooding back, and I wondered if that was why Lucifer looked so defeated.

“Yes...” Belphie gloated before breaking out into maniacal laughter once again. “Yes! Perfect! That’s exactly the look I was _hoping_ to see on your face, Lucifer!”

I could hear wet gurgling coming from the other me, a horrible sound that I instinctively knew was me/her drawing my/her final breath. I closed my eyes and looked away, unable to bear the sight. Mammon’s agonized cries basically rendered the exercise moot in the end.

“Belle, don’t you die! Belle! **_BELLE!!_ **”

I couldn’t help it. Hearing those cries broke something in me and I couldn’t stay hidden. I knew what I was doing was beyond stupid and insane, but at this point, it was better than just watching my own death. Before I could talk myself out of it, I came down the stairs. Hearing my footsteps, Levi instantly looked up, gasping when he saw me.

“ **_Belle?!_ **” he exclaimed, pointing right at me. “Guys! Guys, look! It’s Belle!”

Everyone turned to me, shock completely overtaking everyone. Almost as soon as I came into view, and was acknowledged by everyone, the other me in Mammon’s arms completely vanished. It was as if she was never there to begin with, only the bloodstains on the rug and all over Mammon were any indication she’d ever been there.

“What the?!” Mammon shrieked, jumping to his feet. “What’s going on?! What happened to Belle?! She was right here!!”

“What’s going on…?” Beel questioned.

“I’ll explain everything,” I swore, holding up my hands.

“Wait, are you really Belle?” Levi asked, trying to desperately grab at straws. “And if you are, was the Belle Mammon was holding a fake? I’m so confused!”

“I think I understand,” Lucifer interjected, and everyone instantly turned to him. “That Belle was very much real, but vanished as soon as this one came into play.”

“Get to the point, Lucifer!!” Mammon frantically demanded. “Please! What the fucking hell is going on?!”

“It doesn’t matter,” Belphie sneered, glaring right at me. “I don’t get what’s going on here, or how a mere human could have the willpower to cling to life like that, but even willpower that strong has to have a limit, right?”

Realizing what their brother was about to do, all arguments about whether or not I was real immediately went out the window. They all quickly moved to get between me and him, as his demonic features returned once more.

“Out of my way!” Belphegor demanded. “It’s time for that human to die!!”

“Wait!” I begged, moving to the front of the group while frantically dodging their attempts to pull me back.

“Why should I?!” Belphie snapped.

“Because Lilith didn’t die in the Fall!” I screamed.

Merciful silence fell over everything. Belphie froze, as did everyone else. In that moment of stunned silence, I took a long breath, then prepared to go into detail.

“After you all Fell to the Devildom, Lucifer traded his fealty to Diavolo in exchange for Lilith’s life. She was reborn as a human, with no memory of her life as an Angel. She found the man she’d fallen in love with, and they lived together. They had a long, happy life, Belphie. She didn’t die that day...”

“What?” Mammon gasped, taking off his glasses to look me dead in the eye. “What’re ya talkin’ ab-?”

“Belle...” Lucifer let out, stunned beyond measure. “How do you… How do you know that?”

“No,” Belphie insisted, shaking his head violently and covering his ears. “No, you’re lying! Lies! Lies, lies, _LIES,_ all of it!” He threw his arms down, then pointed at me accusingly. “As if you could ever trust the word of a **_human!_ **”

Lucifer shook his head.

“No, Belphegor,” he said. “It’s the truth.”

Belphie stepped back, clutching his pillow to his chest as he began breathing hard.

“I don’t believe it… Lilith...”

“Belle,” Lucifer tried again, sound so desperate as he did. “How do you know all this?”

I took a deep breath.

“Because Lilith showed me,” I answered, shocking everyone yet again. “For sometime now, I’ve been getting… visions. I’ve seen things I couldn’t have seen, been privy to events I was never a part of. I _saw_ the Fall through her eyes… I heard your final words to her, Lucifer.”

His breathing was becoming ragged, and there were tears in his eyes.

“What...” he spoke so quietly I almost didn’t hear him. “What were those words…?”

I straightened up, meeting his gaze without a moment of hesitation.

“No matter how far apart we may be, no matter how much time passes, even if someday you’re no longer yourself… I will never forget you. And I’ll always pray that you find happiness… always…” 

“...I love you, Lilith,” Lucifer choked, a hand covering his mouth as his tears fell in earnest.

“Then...” Beel let out, approaching me carefully. “Then it’s all true? She was… reborn a human?”

“She did,” I nodded. “She passed on a long time ago… but her spirit has been watching over you ever since.”

“Her spirit?” Asmo questioned. “She’s been… watching us?”

I nodded again.

“After she died, she remembered everything. She missed you all so much that she’s spent every moment since watching over you. She’s the reason I could see through your spell, Lucifer. She’s the reason I was able to free Belphie. It was all Lilith.”

“So,” Diavolo spoke up from behind me, “That’s it then.”

Lucifer jolted upright, immediately trying to hide his tears as Diavolo and Barbatos walked into the House of Lamentation. Neither seemed hostile at least, though I did see Belphie take an unconscious step back.

“Lord Diavolo,” Levi greeted. “What are you doing here? Do you know what’s going on here?”

“Yes, I do,” he answered. “In fact, something has finally been made clear to me.” He placed his hand on my shoulder, smiling. “Everything Belle has said is the truth. The spirit of Lilith has indeed communed with her.”

“But how?” Satan questioned. “Spirits can only appear to those with-”

“With blood ties, yes,” Diavolo interjected. “And Belle here is a distant descendant of the human Lilith.”

I felt all the breath leave me in that moment. Slowly, I looked down at my hands, as if seeing them for the first time. The brothers were all looking at me in much the same way.

“Belle...” Beel let out, stepping towards me slowly and carefully, as if I was a glass statue about to shatter, “is Lilith’s descendant?”

“What?” Belphie muttered.

“Lord Diavolo ordered me to look into the matter, and so I did,” Barbatos explained. “It wasn't easy to trace down Lilith’s lineage, but there can be no doubt. It’s true.”

“That’s why everything felt so familiar...” I realized, stumbling backward until I was sitting on the stairs. “That’s why Asmo’s magic wouldn’t work on me, and- and why when I borrowed Solomon’s power I was so strong… My visions… the memories...” I covered my mouth, still completely reeling. “It makes so much sense...”

“Being a former angel, Lilith may have retained some of her celestial powers deep inside, even after being reborn as a human,” Diavolo went on. “Those powers, as well as her memories, must have passed on down to her descendants, from generation to generation.”

“Lilith...” Lucifer said softly, looking at me before breaking out into a grin. “Lilith! I don’t believe it!”

He pulled me into a hug, cradling me like he’d cradled Lilith way back then. I could feel his tears returning, happy ones at the knowledge that his beloved sister lived on in me. Mammon looked at us both, still clearly stunned.

“Is this for real?” he asked.

“Lord Diavolo, is it really true?!” Levi begged.

“I looked into Belle’s ancestry once the selection paperwork for the exchange program came in,” Diavolo explained. “Human lifetimes are short, after all. So while I did have to trace back far into the mists of time, I was able to verify it. There is no doubt. Belle is Lilith’s descendant.”

Mammon broke into a grin at that, looking so pure and innocent for the first time since I’d met him. Him, and pretty much the rest of the brothers.

“Belle!” Mammon cheered, throwing himself into the hug.

“This is so hard to believe...” Beel let out in happy shock, also getting in on the hug. “Who would’ve thought-”

“This is like something out of a dream!” Asmo gushed, practically skipping over to us and even kicking up a leg as he hugged us all.

“Can this really be happening?!” Levi questioned excitedly, bouncing on his heels as he squeezed his way in. “Like… this isn’t an anime or a game… it’s really real?!”

“I suddenly feel incredibly warm… and happy,” Satan mused, grinning from ear to ear as even he joined the hug. “Do you think it’s because I was born of Lucifer’s emotions? I wonder...”

“Now, now, everyone,” Barbatos lightly admonished. “Don’t throw your arms around Belle all at once. Think about how it would feel being mobbed by all of you like that. She’s surely as surprised as the rest of you.”

“I am, believe me,” I said, smiling at everyone.

I then noticed Belphie standing off to the side, just watching us all. He hadn’t moved or said a word in awhile, and I could see he was shaking. Carefully, I dislodged myself from everyone’s grip, turning to the seventh brother.

“Belphie?” I called out softly.

“...This can’t be...” he whispered. “It just… it can’t be… It can’t, it can’t, it can’t!” He stamped his foot hard and I instinctively stepped back in fear, the memory of the other me’s death still fresh in my mind. “You’re telling me Lilith wasn’t dead, that she was reborn as a _human?_ And that _this_ human is actually the distant descendant of the human Lilith?” He shook his head, stepping back. “Impossible… there’s just no way. I- I _refuse_ to believe that! There’s no way that Belle would just **_happen_ ** to be chosen for the exchange program! It’s all too perfect!”

“Belphie...” Beel let out, reaching out for his brother.

“Someone must be trying to trick me, trying to lure me into a trap!” Belphie tried desperately to rationalize. “That has to be it! Well I don’t buy it! You can’t fool me like that!”

“You really won’t believe us?” I asked softly.

“No, I won’t… as if I could _ever_ believe a story like that!”

“It’s the truth, Belphegor,” Diavolo insisted. “You can deny it all you want, but Belle is Lilith’s descendant.”

Belphie looked so completely and utterly broken, unshed tears welling in his eyes. After a moment, it clicked for me.

“You refuse to believe because you still hate humans,” I remarked. “You can’t admit it, because if you did, you’d basically be saying you hate your own sister.”

“Belphie, you can’t hate humans forever,” Asmo added. “You know that’s not what Lilith would want.”

“He’s right,” Satan agreed. “Lilith was reborn as a human, and she always wanted to spend more time in the human world. I’m certain she lived a happy life, just like Belle said.”

Belphie sniffed, burying his face in his pillow slightly.

“That’s true...” he admitted after a good minute or so. “She loved them so much… he risked everything for them… to be one of them… she would have been so- so….” He finally broke down, dropping to his knees and crying. “Lilith… Lilith I-.... I-”

“Aw come on, Belphie...” Mammon let out, sniffing slightly as tears of his own threatened to fall. “If you start crying, we’re all gonna be crying like pathetic babies.”

“I’m so sorry...” Belphie sobbed. “It was my fault… it was all my fault… if I hadn’t been so interested in humans, Lilith would’ve never ended up involved with them. And if I hadn’t invited Lilith down to the human world with me, she would have never met that man!” He choked, sobbing even harder as his pillow became drenched in tears. “And… and during the Great Celestial War, I couldn't protect her either… I was so _close_ , right beside her… Lilith was right there! I didn’t notice… I wasn’t able to protect her… It’s all my fault… all of it. I’m sorry… Lilith...”

“Belphie...” Beel gasped.

“I never knew you felt that way, Belphie...” Levi let out.

“Belphie,” I spoke up, kneeling down in front of him. “It was never your fault. She never once blamed you. No one did. Lilith’s death was not your fault, so please… let go of that guilt.”

He looked up at me with bleary eyes, blinking a bit before the sobs redoubled. However, this time instead of burying himself in his pillow, he pressed his face into my stomach, wrapping his arms around me. He cried long and hard into me, just saying “I’m sorry” over and over again. I sat there and just began petting his head, letting him release thousands of years worth of grief. Ever so slowly, the other brothers came over, forming a large huddle around the seventh brother, warm hands coming down on his back to comfort him. There wasn’t a single dry eye in that foyer as we sat there, a big family finally reunited.

...

After we all managed to regain our senses, we retired to the common room. Snacks littered the coffee table as everyone was gathered around me. I was sitting on the biggest couch there, Belphie curled up on my right like a puppy. It was such a stark contrast to all the previous times I'd interacted with him, the seventh brother looking so vulnerable and docile. On my left, Asmo was snuggled up next to too, an arm around me as he leaned in, beaming happily. Everyone else was sitting as close to me as they could happy faces all around. Diavolo and Barbatos stuck around as well, the former sitting next to Lucifer with a smile as Barbatos served us tea. After the insanity we had all endured, the snacks and Barbatos' amazing Mandragora blend was absolutely divine.

"Thank you again for making us tea, Barbatos," I told him, sipping at my glass. "I can't even remember how long it's been since I ate."

"You're hungry?" Mammon questioned, almost immediately snagging a chocolate muffin from a small platter and putting it on my plate. "Here. I know you like these things. Take one."

"Here, I'll give you this piece of cake as well," Satan offered, holding out a slice of red velvet cake that was almost a Beel portion.

"Whoa, too much," I insisted, holding up a hand. "Maybe a slice half that big?"

Satan immediately set about cutting it in half as Beel slid a scone across the table to me.

"I was planning on eating this myself, but here, you can have it, Belle?"

"What's this?!" Levi exclaimed dramatically. "Did Beel just give food away?"

"He did!" Asmo proclaimed, pulling me closer to him in a very theatrical manner. "Somebody check the thermostat! I think the Devildom is freezing over!"

"Hey, don't snuggle up to Belle like that, Asmo," Belphie playfully joked, pressing himself closer into me until his head was basically in my lap. "You're too close. I'm the one who gets to sit next to Belle, so don't butt in."

"Aww, come on. Can't you see that I love Belle so much I can't help it? You can have Belle's right side, Belphie. That's all you need, right? The left side's all mine, 'kay?"

"No fair," Beel whined. "I want to sit next to Belle."

"Y'know what? You're all too close to Belle!" Mammon declared, shoving himself onto the couch and trying to push his brothers away. "Get away! Go on, shoo!"

"Boys, boys!" I laughed, failing miserably to maintain a serious face. "There's plenty of me to go around. Honestly, how old are you guys?"

"Ugh, it must be nice being so popular, you… you normie!" Levi declared, blushing hard when I smirked and raised an eyebrow at him. "Um… but you're the one normie I actually like, okay?"

That just got me laughing again, along with just about everyone else. Even Lucifer was in good spirits, smiling as he admonished everyone.

"All of you, that's enough. I think Belle's been crushed enough for one evening."

His words didn't seem to deter the others, who just all crowded around me a bit more as they laughed and playfully fought with one another for my attention. Diavolo watched us all, laughing himself as he set his tea cup down.

"There must have been so many things you've all wanted to do for Lilith over the years," he remarked. "It's only natural to be impatient and clingy."

I could only nod, trying to reach my snacks as I was basically pinned at every angle. Barbatos came to my rescue, picking up my plate and placing it in my hand. I smiled at him, then a couple questions began to come to my mind.

"Hey Barbatos?" I began, everyone quieting for a moment so I could speak. "I basically broke just about every rule you gave me when you sent me back in time. I mean, I revealed I was from the future, interacted with everyone, and I literally watched another version of me just blink out of existence. Did I damage the timeline?"

"Oh yeah," Mammon remarked, who was shirtless by the way because he'd gotten rid of his blood stained clothes. "I thought I was gonna have a fucking heart attack when that happened."

Barbatos smiled, shaking his head.

"No Belle, the timelines are safely intact."

"Oh, good," I said, sighing in relief. "I will admit, I was seriously worried."

"I'd imagine so, but I can assure you, you have nothing to fear."

"And… I don't have to go knock on Mammon's door and… well..." I didn't want to finish the sentence, knowing it would probably worry the brothers to no end.

"No, you're exactly where you belong," Barbatos assured me. "You remember when I told you I have the power to see both the past and the future? Well, there's one more power I possess that I didn't tell you. I have the power to select from any number of different potential realities and make any of them the sole reality."

"So… you decided to make this reality the main one?" I asked. "Where everyone knows the truth and everyone's happy?"

"Exactly," Barbatos nodded. "That's why the previous Belle disappeared."

"Barbatos," Asmo spoke up, leaning on me, "your power level is terrifying."

"I have to agree," Satan nodded. "Such control over time itself, that kind of power knows no equal."

"The Legend of Barbatos," Levi said, leaning back in his seat. "Most Powerful of All Beings."

"Eh, details," Mammon brushed off. "Who cares about all that complicated stuff?"

"Good point," Beel nodded. "It's thanks to Barbatos' powers that we're now all together like this."

"Exactly," I declared, holding up my teacup. "And honestly, I couldn't be happier with this timeline. It truly is the best."

"Here, Belle," Belphie offered, picking up the teapot from the table. "Have another cup of tea."

"Ooh, let me pour it!" Asmo insisted, reaching for the pot.

"Oh no you don't," Belphie shot down, pulling the pot out of reach. "I'm pouring it!"

"Yo, morons!" Mammon snapped. "I'm the one who pours Belle's tea! All of it!"

All three began wrestling for the pot and I just started laughing again. It proved infectious, as rather than scold any of them, Lucifer was smiling and chuckling too.

"Honestly, you're all hopeless," he declared.

Diavolo laughed, setting down his teacup and smiling at the entire scene.

"I told you, didn't I, Lucifer? I told you that encouraging exchange between humans, angels and demons would end up being advantageous to us. And see? I was right."

"What can I say?" Lucifer replied, his smile never fading. "As always, Diavolo… you win."


	32. The Bridge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Belphie is free at last, but tension is still high. Time for Belle to step in again

Things kind of settled down after all the drama. I ended up sleeping for pretty much a full day when our tea party came to a close, and absolutely no one bothered me. I think someone brought me an extra blanket, and I’m pretty sure Beel was responsible for the snacks I found when I finally woke up, but other than that, they let me be. From there, things became almost… normal.

Lucifer worked to get Belphegor readmitted back into RAD. I don’t know exactly what the teachers were told, if they were told anything at all, but he was accepted relatively fast. I found myself at the center of attention for a while, as if the entire student body could sense that my dynamic with the brothers had changed. It lasted for a week before someone, I’m thinking Lucifer, Satan, or both, made it clear I did _not_ enjoy their stares.

In the House of Lamentation, things had calmed down as well. Without any more secrets or lies, a calm air had overtaken the house, which I gratefully enjoyed. In fact, I was quite happy with how everything had turned out… save for one small hiccup.

…

Breakfast time came and Levi came stumbling into the dining room, yawning loudly as he fumbled for his seat.

“Yo! Levi, you’re late!” Mammon shouted, his mouth stuffed full of eggs and devil root hash browns.

“Yeah, you really _are_ Levi,” Asmo commented, sipping on some orange juice through a pink swirl straw. “You were up all night playing games again, weren’t you?”

“We both were,” I admitted, smirking as I munched on my own breakfast. “Though thankfully, I was smart enough to go to bed before 5am.”

“Yeah, after your sniper kept constantly hounding me in DDO!” Levi snapped.

“All’s fair in love and war, my sweet little otaku,” I teased.

“If I were you, Levi, I’d be worried less about Belle’s gaming skills and more about your attendance,” Satan insisted. “You’ll end up having to repeat a year if you’re late too often. Now hurry up and eat.”

“Though, uh, there isn’t much food left at this point...” Mammon pointed out, gesturing to Beel with his thumb.

Sure enough, Beel had polished off his plate pretty early on, and in a hunger induced haze, he’d raided Levi’s plate until there wasn’t even a crumb left. Needless to say, Levi was upset.

“ ** _Beel!_ **” he whined. “Give me back my breakfast!”

Beel, who was in the process of shoving an entire pancake into his mouth, just shook his head.

“Sorry, I already ate it,” he said, swallowing the pancake before grabbing another. “I don’t think you want it back now.”

“Okay, ew...” I gagged, shuddering in revulsion. “Thanks for putting _that_ image in my head.” Now robbed of my appetite, I pushed my plate towards Levi. “Here, you can have what’s left. I’m not hungry anymore.”

Levi looked down at the plate, then up at me with stars in his eyes.

“You really are part angel...” he whispered.

“Don’t worry,” Satan told me, leaning in closer so he was talking in my ear. “When we get to RAD, I’ll snag you some Yakisoba bread from the cafeteria.”

“Or,” Asmo offered in a singsong voice, “you can have this mango-flavored Little Devil’s Gelatin Parfait if you want.”

“Ooh, mango?” I asked, taking the parfait. “That’s one of the best flavors. Thanks Asmo.”

“What about the Yakisoba bread?” Satan questioned.

“Lunchtime,” I promised. “We can hunker down in the library and split it.”

Satan smiled at the idea and I munched on my parfait. Just then, the door to the dining room opened and Belphie came walking in. He let out a large yawn, stretching a bit as he went and sat down at his seat.

“Man, I’m tired...”

The idle conversation of the table began to die down, everyone just looking at Belphie. Faces fell and eyes were averted. Even Beel, who had been so happy to get his twin back, couldn’t even look him in the eye. Tension fell over the table, making everything so tense that I ended up setting my parfait down. After a moment, Satan cleared his throat, trying to break the ice.

“Morning,” he said simply.

“Y-yo, Belphie,” Mammon tried, mumbling into his coffee mug. “You sure are up early, aren’t ya?”

“No,” Beel said, shaking his head and keeping his eyes firmly on his plate. “He’s barely got time to eat before heading to class.”

“W-well, that’s alright!” Mammon insisted, talking a bit louder than necessary. “Not like anyone’s gonna make a fuss over it!”

I just sighed, hating the awkwardness of everything. Scooping up another bite of parfait, I turned to Belphie and gave him my best kind and warm smile.

“Morning, Belphie,” I greeted. “Sleep well?”

“Mmhm,” Belphie nodded, actually cracking a smile as he poured himself a cup of coffee. “It’s nice being back in my own bed again.”

“You’ve said that everyday for the past week,” I reminded him.

“Well, I mean it,” Belphie replied, taking his seat at the table while stirring some cream into his coffee. “Is there anything left for breakfast?”

“Not really,” I admitted. “Beel got to most of it.”

The awkward silence returned, everyone just looking at one another as they tried to figure out what to say or do. After a bit, Levi stood up, setting his napkin down on the table.

“I think I’m gonna head to class,” he decided.

“But what about breakfast?” Asmo questioned. “You need to eat something.”

“I’ll grab something from the cafeteria at school,” Levi promised, already making for the door.

“I’ll go with you,” Satan offered, rising from his seat as well.

“Me too,” Beel added, polishing off the last of his plate before getting up.

“Uh...” Mammon let out, looking around before quickly hopping to his feet. “If that’s the case, maybe I’ll head off too.”

One by one, everyone filed out of the room until it was just me, Asmo, and Belphie. The fifth brother observed the scene, then he too got up. He prepared to walk off, but stopped, turning back to me.

“What about you, Belle? Coming with?”

“Nah, I want to finish my parfait,” I told him. “I’ll just head over with Belphie later.”

Asmo shrugged and began heading out. I turned back to the table, where Belphie was picking through the sparse leftovers across the table.

“You don’t need to wait for me, Belle,” he told me as he settled back into his seat. “I’ll head to class when I’m done. Why don’t you go with everyone else?”

“Because I don’t wanna,” I answered. “I wanna stay with you and keep you company. Is that okay?”

Belphie began blushing, embarrassingly munching on some toast.

“I told you, I’m fine...”

Still he scooted a bit closer to me, to which I smiled as we both kept eating in peace. Unfortunately, the peace did not last long before Lucifer stuck his head into the dining room, locking eyes on us.

“Belphegor, Isabella, hurry up and finish eating,” he ordered. “You’re going to be late.”

“Says the demon who didn’t even make it to breakfast,” I quipped, pointing at him with my spoon.

“Because I finished eating a long time ago,” Lucifer countered, shaking his head before fulling walking over to me. “Anyway, Belle, there’s going to be a birthday party for Diavolo at the Demon Lord’s Castle coming up soon. And this year, you’re coming too.”

“Sweet,” I said with a smile. “An event happening down here that should hopefully _not_ turn into a massive shitshow.”

Belphie snorted, nearly choking on his toast at my words. I could tell he was laughing and I turned to him, laughing myself.

“Hey, it’s true! The TSL Contest, the Retreat, Lucifer’s speech. Almost everything I’ve participated in has had some sort of drama pop up that caused SO much drama.”

“Indeed,” Lucifer nodded. “Hopefully, this party will go off without a hitch, and we can enjoy ourselves for an evening.”

I knocked on the wood of the table, then held up my crossed fingers.

…

Thankfully, neither Belphie nor I were late for class. We made it just in the nick of time, getting to our desks before the bell rang. I leaned back in my chair, laughing quietly at the close call while trying to catch my breath at full tilt. Belphie, who was blessed with demonic stamina, was not as winded as me. He just sat down at his seat next to me, watching me for a bit.

“No matter how many times I see you, I still can’t wrap my mind around it,” he said after a moment.

“What do you mean?” I questioned.

“I thought for sure that if a human exchange student came to the Devildom, they’d be shaking in their boots down here. But you seem like you’re right at home here, don’t you?”

“It wasn’t like that at first,” I admitted, leaning on my desk. “When I first got here, I was so scared. I could hear people talking about eating me, and for the first week, I don’t think I slept. But now, after getting to know the guys and making all the pacts with them… I don’t feel scared anymore.”

“Well, glad to know you’re still a normal human,” Belphie laughed.

That got a snort out of me.

“Belphie, sweetie, there ain’t nothin’ normal about me. I was abnormal _long_ before I knew demons were real.”

We both laughed a bit more, until the teacher let out a whistle. We both stopped laughing, quickly making like we were taking notes to avoid their wrath. Once we were certain they were no longer staring into our souls, we relaxed and I let out a breath. I turned to glance over at Belphie, who was actually looking more than a little sad.

“Hey,” I said softly. “What’s wrong?”

“A human is more comfortable here than me…” he mumbled. “I mean, you’ve seen how everyone’s so guarded around me… or maybe not guarded. More like they’re keeping their distance from me.”

“Trust me, I’ve seen,” I nodded. “Everyone’s walking on eggshells around you, and it sucks.”

“I mean, it makes sense,” Belphie said miserably, setting down his pencil. “After what I did, I shouldn’t expect any less.” He put his arms on his desk, lowering his face into them. “I wonder if my brothers and I can ever go back to the way things used to be...”

“Of course you can,” I insisted, rubbing his back. “It’ll take time, and a lot of work, but I’m sure you can repair the damage done. I mean, you’re their brother. They love you. I’ve seen it.”

Belphie lifted his head, meeting my eye.

“Maybe so, but _you_ barely know me,” he pointed out. “Honestly, I’m surprised you haven’t been outright avoiding me, considering how badly I treated you… I used you, lied to you, and tried to kill you. Hell, technically I _did._ ”

“If I’m being honest, that night still haunts me sometimes… I’ve woken up in a cold sweat a couple of times while struggling to breath.” I looked away, rubbing my bracelet to try and calm my nerves. “But, you’ve apologized over and over again, and every time you’re near me, you clearly make a conscious effort to be as non-threatening and docile as you can. You’re putting in the effort to be better, and I recognize that. And right now, what you need is someone supporting you, not another person scared to be near you.”

Belphie looked at me, sighing again.

“You really are Lilith’s descendant,” he said. “You’re so nice to people, even when they don’t deserve it. Still...” he cracked a smile, “thanks.”

“Anytime,” I replied as we both got back to our notes.

…

When class ended, Belphie and I headed out into the hall. Students began filtering out in the usual chaotic clamor. As we weaved through the various demons all around, Belphie slipped off in another direction, as we had different classes. I made a note to check on him later, then I felt someone catch me by my sleeve.

“Belle!” Luke cheered.

I turned to see the two angels smiling happily at me. I greeted them back, mentally reminding myself that they had no knowledge of my time travel adventure now, nor had I brought Belphie to Purgatory Hall.

“Hello there, Belle,” Simeon greeted. “We heard the big news!”

“News?” I questioned, hoping for some context.

“I understand you managed to get Lucifer and those brothers of his to make up,” Simeon explained.

“Yeah, that’s amazing,” Luke gushed, looking at me like I was a superhero. “I mean… you’re just a human, and yet you managed something like that.”

“Yes, I have to say, it really is impressive,” Simeon agreed. “And I’m guessing that both Belphegor and Lucy are also glad things turned out the way they did.”

“Oh definitely,” I nodded. “I think that was the first time I ever saw Lucifer actually rela-” I cut myself off, a record scratching in my brain as my train of thought just completely derailed. “Um… did you just say ‘Lucy’?”

Simeon blushed slightly, a hand covering his mouth as he chuckled.

“Oh dear, sorry about that. It’s an old habit of mine, calling him that. Michael and I used to call Lucifer ‘Lucy’ every now and then. But do me a favor and forget you ever heard that.”

“Right,” I nodded. “If I ever let that slip, no amount of familial ties will save me from his wrath.”

“Nor me,” Simeon agreed. “We’ll both be cooling corpses in the time it takes to blink.”

We both laughed at that, then he stopped, leaning against the wall. He looked me over, his smile faltering a bit as he did.

“Belle, you seem a little depressed to me.”

“What’s wrong?” Luke questioned, checking me over with child-like worry. “Is something troubling you?”

“Kinda...” I admitted, looking away. 

“Talk to us, Belle,” Simeon insisted. “Counseling our little lambs in their time of need is our job after all.”

Luke nodded, taking my hand and leading me over to a small bench along the wall. I sat down, and the two angels sat down on either side of me.

“It’s...” I tried, shaking my head before starting over. “Belphegor’s back, but after everything that happened, the brothers are basically avoiding him like the plague. He feels he deserves it, and its badly affecting him. I want to help, but I don’t even know where to begin.”

“Really?” Luke questioned. “I never would have imagined Belphegor would be affected by that sort of stuff.”

“Oh Luke,” Simeon said, shaking his head. “You make it sound as if it’s not important.”

“Well, think about it,” Luke insisted. “That whole situation is only temporary, right? Those demons never take anything seriously. Mark my words, in a few days, it’ll be like nothing ever happened. That’s how they are.”

“Luke, they’re far more sensitive then you give them credit for,” I interjected, crossing my arms. “Belphie crossed a serious line, hurting someone they cared about. Sure things worked out in the end, but they can’t just forget that so quickly.”

“Agreed,” Simeon nodded. “And even if the situation does resolve itself on its own, that doesn’t change the fact that things are difficult for Belphie now.”

“So, any advice for this wayward lamb?” I questioned. “Please, I literally have nothing.”

“Hmm,” Simeon mused, leaning forward and placing his chin on his fist as he thought. “Well, how about this? You could serve as a bridge between Belphie and his brothers.”

“A bridge?” I questioned.

“Yes!” Luke cheered, his legs kicking happily. “That’s a great idea! The brothers listen to you, meaning you can help them communicate!”

“Exactly,” Simeon nodded. “You can help smooth things out between then, aiding in their adjustment, and integrating Belphie back in with his brothers.”

“Of course,” I said, pounding my fist into my palm. “An impartial third party. They may not be ready to talk to each other directly, but if I’m there as a buffer, they’ll let their guards down and be more open.”

“It works wonders for Luke,” Simeon noted. “Whenever he wants to ask Barbatos for a new recipe, he always takes Solomon to help him out.”

Luke turned red, his legs freezing in place. He shrank into his seat, trying to pull his beret down over his face.

“Well, I mean Barbatos is, y’know… _Barbatos_ . We’re talking about _the_ Barbatos here, Simeon.”

“Barbatos can be pretty intimidating,” I admitted.

“Maybe so, but he’s actually not that scary,” Simeon insisted.

“I-I’m not _afraid_ of him!” Luke denied, his face even redder as he glared at Simeon before snorting. “As if _I_ would be afraid of some demon!”

“Whatever you say, Luke,” I quipped, reaching over and ruffling Luke’s hair. “Either way, I’m gonna give this bridge thing a try. I’ll let you know how it goes.”

“Good luck!” Simeon called out as I got up and headed off.

…

After school, I went hunting for Belphegor, trying to figure out where he’d gone. Thankfully, in the week since he’d been freed, I’d gotten a chance to figure out his patterns, and knew where he usually went when he wished to take a nap. I ended up finding him in the third place I looked, the Planetarium. He was curled up on one of the love seats, his usual pillow tucked under his head.

“Belphie?” I called slightly.

With a slight snort, Belphie woke up, rubbing his eye and yawning.

“Ugh, it’s you. You startled me.”

“My bad,” I apologized. “Did you think I was someone else?”

“Not really,” he answered, sitting up properly and moving his pillow, as if offering me a seat. “So, do you come here a lot?”

“Occasionally,” I answered, taking the offered seat. “It’s really peaceful here, and I like watching the planets rotate. It’s so calming.”

“That’s why I like it too,” Belphie admitted, leaning over until his head was resting on my shoulder. “Lilith used to look up at the stars from the human world. So when I’m here, I almost feel like Lilith is right here by my side, y’know?”

I nodded, placing an arm around her.

“My grandma had this super power of always knowing exactly what I needed, clothes wise,” I told him. “As a bonus, she always got the sizes and styles exactly how I liked them. The Christmas before she died, she got me some really soft pajamas that I enjoyed so much. Now, whenever I wear them, I can just feel her love.”

Belphie smiled at that, rolling a bit until his head was resting in my lap.

“Changing the subject, what’re you going to do?”

“Do? You’re gonna need to be a bit more specific, Belphie.”

“Seriously?” Belphie questioned, shaking his head before reaching up and poking me in the forehead. “Silly human, I’m talking about Diavolo’s birthday party. You’re going too, right?”

“Well, yeah,” I nodded. “I mean, I’m pretty sure turning down an invitation to the Demon Lord’s birthday party would be _insanely_ rude.”

“So, what are you going to do for a present? What’s your budget?”

I hissed through my teeth, wincing.

“Not a lot,” I admitted. “I was kinda busy focusing on getting pacts for you that I never really focused a lot on money. That, and Beel has basically been buying me food ever since we made a pact.”

“Yeah, that’s how he shows affection,” Belphie nodded, stretching out. “On the bright side, you’re not the only one short on funds. Being a prisoner doesn’t exactly leave you much time to earn some grimm.”

“Guess Diavolo’s not gonna be getting a present from either of us.”

“If only it were that easy.” Belphie curled up on his side, his head still on my lap. “I mean, I don’t think it’s really necessary to get him anything, personally. But Lucifer would probably be mad and all… what to do...”

As he mulled over our options, we heard a crash coming from the music room. Belphie’s eyes snapped open and I turned towards the sound. The demon in my lap lifted his head, scooping up his pillow as he got to his feet.

“What was that?”

“Sounds like someone’s going through the music room,” I answered.

“Yeah, that’s what I thought,” Belphie groaned. “And I can think of only one demon who could be responsible.”

Quietly, we slipped out of the Planetarium and made our way to the music room. When we got there, Mammon was on his hands and knees, going through some boxes of things with reckless abandon.

“Dammit… there’s nothing here at all...” he muttered as he continued his rummaging. “Wait a minute. Ooh, Could this be what I think it is?!” 

He pulled out what looked like an ornate box and threw it open, only to immediately groan in annoyance.

“Aww man… there’s nothing but some sheet music in here!” He slammed the box shut, shoving it back where he’d found it. “Now I feel cheated… The box screamed treasure… who puts _sheet music_ in a box like that?”

“Well, this is the music room,” I pointed out, relishing in the girlish shriek Mammon let out. “It makes sense there would be sheet music here.”

“Mammon, Mammon, Mammon,” Belphie laughed, shaking his head. “Just what do you think you’re doing you rotten little thief?”

“N-Nothin’!” Mammon insisted, still trying to recover from the scare I’d given him.

“Mammon, you know neither of us are going to buy that for an instant, right?” I said, crossing my arms.

“Right, this is _you_ we’re talking about,” Belphie reminded him. “Let me guess, you were sneaking around the house looking for valuables to steal, aren’t you?”

“Uh, um...” Mammon was fidgeting, looking left and right. “I uh...”

“Looks like you really hit the nail on the head, Belphie,” I noted.

“What a scumbag...” Belphie sighed, shaking his head.

“Hey, shaddup!” Mammon snapped, regaining control of his tongue as he put his hands on his hips indignantly. “Listen, I’m just doin’ a little recycling here, okay?! Makin’ use of things other people decided to toss out! If this treasure could talk, I’m sure it’d tell you that it doesn't like being buried away in cramped, dusty boxes and left to rot for centuries! It’d much rather have _me_ put it to good use!”

“Right, sure,” I nodded, my disbelief evident. “So, what are you after this time?”

“My guess, he found a new watch he likes,” Belphie commented. “Or maybe boots. No, wait, I know. He owes money to a shady witch again.”

“Hey! Stop making me sound like such a scumbag!”

“You _are_ a scumbag!” both Belphie and I said in unison.

“No, I’m not!” Mammon exclaimed. “Listen, every once in a while, even I like to… to...” his voice trailed off for a bit and he muttered so quietly that we could barely make out what he was saying. “To… to give someone… a present… y’know?”

“A present?” Belphie questioned.

“Oh, for Diavolo’s party,” I realized.

Mammon’s eyes went wide.

“Shit, the party! I knew I’d forgotten something! Crap, crap, crap! Lucifer is gonna be so pissed!”

“Wait, so the gift wasn’t for the party?” I asked.

“Then who are you trying to get a gift for if not Diavolo?” Belphie wondered.

Mammon turned so red it almost seeped into his hair.

“Forget it! It’s for Diavolo, okay?! Like you said, it’s for the party!”

I rolled my eyes and laughed, but just decided to drop it. Belphie was smirking, a knowing look in his eyes as he too decided to drop it. Mammon seemed to be silently grateful for our willingness to do so as he coughed and shoved his hands into his pockets, rocking back and forth on his heels.

“Look, the point is I don’t have any money and I need some.”

“Join the club,” I spoke up. “We’re all broke as hell right now.”

“Then how about we fix that?” Belphie offered. “The three of us could go out and get jobs.”

“Wait, what?” Mammon questioned.

“I don’t see why not,” I replied. “I just hope we can find a place willing to hire a human.”

“Don’t worry, Belle,” Belphie said with a nod. “I know a place always willing to hire someone for a day or two.”

…

As it turns out, the place Belphie brought us to was none other than Hell’s Kitchen. All Belphie had to say was we needed some money and were willing to work and aprons were practically thrown at us. I was silently grateful I had some experience in the food industry as I rushed around the busy restaurant, taking orders and bussing tables. Mammon, on the other hand, was whining.

“Why did we have to work here?” he grumbled, leaning over the kitchen counter so we could hear him. “This place works you harder than any restaurant in the Devildom!”

“Well, they pay by the day, and they work their staff ridiculously hard,” Belphie explained, helping me clean up after a large party. “Because of that, they’re always hiring. But in spite of that, it’s a very popular restaurant that does a lot of business, so they’re always short-staffed.”

“Explains why they didn’t even bother asking for references,” I noted. “Or why they’d hire someone like Mammon.”

“Hey!”

“And it’s a great place to make some quick cash,” Belphie nodded, completely ignoring his brother as he began taking another table’s order.

“Maybe for you!” Mammon growled. “You get to work with Belle out on the floor while I’m stuck back here in the kitchen. It’s not fair!”

“Mammon, I am this close to using my pact on you,” I warned, jangling my bracelet in warning. “Now please, stop talking and get back to work. We’re really busy and we have a lot of orders to fill.”

“Then make Belphie trade places with me!” Mammon begged. “I want to be out there with you, not cramped back here!”

Belphie ignored him, bringing the orders up to the counter and ringing the bell.

“Order up!” he called.” We’ve got a whole roast havoc devil and one bowl of Hell’s Kitchen original Vjedogonian bile soup for table eight, a shadow goose meat and egg lasagna for table two, and then table nine wants an order of mixed belladonna and poison hemlock greens with house dressing and the sautéed wild hare liver.”

“You heard the man, Mammon!” I called with a grin. “Hurry up! We got hungry demons over here!”

We left Mammon floundering over the orders, which thankfully the main cooks took over, and returned to our tables. After he got his wits about him, he called back out over the counter.

“Yo Belphie! Make sure those demons keep their hands off Belle! She is _not_ on the menu, got it?!”

“Don’t worry, Mammon,” Belphie called back, smiling warmly. “I won’t let anything happen to her.”

...

After our shift ended at Hell's Kitchen, Belphie, Mammon and I collected our paycheck. At waitstaff, Belphie and I managed to score some good tips, much to my joy. Feeling all the grimm in my wallet made me feel super happy with our progress.

"Alright, mission accomplished," I cheered, hooking my arm through Belphie's. "Good idea with the job."

"Yeah..." Mammon groaned, sagging forward as he walked. "Great job nearly working us to death. I'm so tired I think I'm gonna die..."

"I guess a greedy scumbag like you isn't used to doing an honest day's work for your money," Belphie quipped. "You just don't appreciate how good it feels to actually _earn_ your money instead of just steeling it."

Mammon gave Belphie the finger and I laughed.

"Well I had fun," I declared. "I think that's the first time I actually did something normal."

"So this is what you normally do in the human world?" Belphie questioned. "Go to work, go to school?"

"Essentially, yeah. But this time, it was different. And I think… it was because I had friends with me."

"Aw, Belle," Mammon let out, "You're making it all sappy and gross."

"Don't ruin the moment, Mammon," Belphie laughed, playfully shoving his brother.

I watched the two tease and mess with one another, a smile plastered on my face. My first day as acting as a bridge for the brothers had turned out great. Now, I just needed to cross my fingers that the rest would be as easy to win over. I had hope though. After all, they were family, and family always comes together in the end.


	33. The Third and Fourth Brothers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Belle continues to act as a bridge between Belphie and his brothers, focusing on Levi and Satan

With Mammon and Belphie now safely back on brotherly speaking terms, My job was 1/6th of the way complete. Still, I had a long way to go before everyone was kosher with each other again. I decided to focus on Levi next, figuring he’d be another easy one to work with. I just needed to figure out a plan of attack. I was so preoccupied trying to figure out a plan that I almost missed the “psst” that came from Levi’s room.

“Hey!” Levi called out in a hushed whisper. “Hey, Belle! Over here!”

I turned to see Levi sticking his head out of his room, while still keeping the door mostly closed.

“Levi?” I questioned, my face scrunching in confusion. “What are you-?”

“No time,” he hissed, opening the door a bit more before waving for me to come in. “Hurry up and get in here! It’s important!”

“Uh, okay...”

The second I said that, Levi’s arm lashed out and grabbed me by the arm. He pulled me inside as I let out a yelp, stumbling a bit and catching myself on Levi’s tub. The envious demon glanced across the hall for a moment longer, then closed the door and sighed in relief.

“Good, no one saw you.”

“Levi, you do realize that it’s no secret you and I are friends, right? You don’t need to hide every time you invite me into-”

“This isn’t about your normie status!” Levi snapped, turning red as he tried to hide in his jacket collar. “This is a serious emergency! Like, Megazoid levels of Class-S threats kind of emergency!”

“Alright, alright,” I began trying to wave him down, grabbing his shoulders and plopping him down in his gamer chair. “Calm down, and tell me what’s going on.”

Levi took a few breaths, clearly trying to stabilize himself. After a minute, he seemed to get himself under control and began speaking at normal volumes.

“Alright… the thing thing… Belphie told me that he wants to play games with me.”

I blinked, staring dumbly at the third brother for a good minute before my brain finally finished rebooting. I shook my head, held up a hand, and just looked confused.

“...what?”

“Yes, he actually said that! He wants to play  _ games _ with me! Before long, he’s going to show up at my door! He’s coming  _ here! _ ”

“Isn’t that… good?” I questioned, not understanding the problem here. “I mean, he wants to hang out with his brother, is that so wrong?”

“Don’t you understand, Belle?!” Levi exclaimed, grabbing me as he jumped to his feet. “I don’t know what to do once I’m alone with him! What do we even talk about?! Even at the best of times, Belphie has always been difficult to approach. I’m not sure I can carry a proper conversation with him!”

“Okay, okay, calm down,” I urged, freeing my arms from his vice-like grip before pushing him back onto his seat. “You’re way overthinking this. Just act natural, and everything will be-”

“Natural?” Levi cut me off, sounding miserable. “By nature, I’m someone who can’t talk to people!”

“You’re talking to me just fine,” I pointed out.

“That’s different!!” He was as red as a tomato now, curling up on his chair and burying his face in his knees. “Also… I’m not the only one who’d suffer if things ended up being awkward. Belphie would probably hate every minute of it too, you know?”

“Levi, I can’t understand you when you’re curled up like that,” I told him, prompting him to lower his legs.

“I’m saying that it wouldn’t be good for either of us,” Levi insisted. “That’s why… um… I was hoping… you could maybe go tell Belphie… no for me?”

“What?” I let out.

“Just- Just tell him you heard it was a bad time for me… that I can’t do any gaming today. Yeah! Tell him that!” He was practically begging me at this point, and I’m pretty sure he’d be on his knees if I didn’t have him trapped on his chair. “Please Belle. You don’t mind doing that for me, do you?”

“Levi,” I tried. “I- You’re just- I...”   
  
“Belle, please...” he looked so desperate at this point. “We’re friends, right? I mean, it’s not like I’m trying to push this on you because I don’t want to do it myself. It’s just… I have a super important package that’s arriving from Akuzon today, something I absolutely have to be around to accept in person.”

“Okay, now you just sound like Mammon when he’s trying to hide the fact he’s been going through my underwear drawer.”

“Belle!” Levi exclaimed, looking ready to cry. “You’re the only person in the world I can count on, you know?!”

After a long moment, I let out a reluctant sigh.

“Okay, fine,” I relented. “I’ll talk to him. But I can pretty much guarantee that he’s gonna be disappointed.”

“Thank you, thank you, thank you!” 

He jumped up and hugged me. I was shocked by the sudden attention and we ended up colliding and hitting the floor. When he finally let go of me, he realized that he was on top of me, pinning me underneath him. The girlish shriek he let out upon that realization left my eardrums ringing as he launched himself off me.

“R-r-right,” he stammered, practically diving into his bathtub bed. “Now g-go find Belphie and make sure he gets the message, okay?”

I laughed a bit, getting up and dusting myself off. Levi remained hidden in the tub, and when I turned to him, he flinched, as if expecting me to hit him or something. Instead, I reached forward and gently ruffled his hair, which I swear got a moan out of the clearly touch starved otaku.

“It was an accident, Levi,” I told him, keeping my hand on his head. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll go deliver your message.”

And with that, I walked out of Levi’s room, crossing the hall over to Beel and Belphie’s shared room. The door was shut, so I gave it a light knock.

“Come in,” Belphie’s voice called out from inside.

I slipped inside, smiling when I spotted Belphie on his side of the room. Seeing the messy bed and the RAD uniform draped haphazardly over the purple futon made me feel surprisingly warm in my chest. His half was no longer a shrine to a missing brother, but a true bedroom once more. Belphie himself was putting what looked like a fresh pillow case on his ever present pillow, no doubt a result of Lucifer insisting on him cleaning the thing.

“Oh, Belle,” he greeted, rising to his feet and sliding the pillow under his arm. “Do you need something? I was headed over to Levi’s room to play some games, so make it quick.”

“About that,” I spoke up, closing the door behind me and letting out yet another sigh. “Apparently, Levi’s got some sort of high priority package coming from Akuzon that he absolutely  _ must _ be there to sign for, so he’s calling for a raincheck on the game session.”

As I expected, Belphie’s eyes filled with disappointment as I said that. He sat back down on the bed, placing his pillow across his lap, the disappointment then being replaced with a softer, understanding light.

“You don’t say,” he let out, a small laugh escaping his lips. “Considering it’s Levi, he must be worried that it’ll be awkward being alone with me, right?”

“Yyyyyep,” I replied, holding the syllable as I nodded.

“Though so. He’s probably the easiest to read among my brothers.” He began playing with the tassel of his pillow as I sat down next to him. “I mean, he was acting really, really suspicious when I went by his room and asked him to play games with me. I guess he couldn’t bring himself to turn me down right there on the spot. I shouldn’t be surprised… that’s very like him.”

“I hope you’re not too upset,” I said softly. “I know how badly you want to make up with everyone.”

“I’ll be fine,” Belphie insisted, a tired smile on his face. “I knew that this wouldn’t be easy, especially after everything I’ve done. Don’t worry about it.”

Just then, there was another knock on the door. Both Belphie and I perked, looking at the door in confusion. He glanced at me and I shrugged, not knowing who it was.

“Come in,” he called out.

The door opened, and surprise, surprise, it was Levi! The third brother timidly stuck his head in, looking around.

“Belphie?” he called softly. “Are you in here?”

“Levi...” Belphie said equally softly.

Levi turned to see us on the bed and seemed to turn red again. He swallowed hard, walking in while seemingly steeling himself.

“If this is about your message, Belle just told me,” Belphie informed him. “I hope your package gets here soon.”

“W-what?” Levi let out before remembering his lie. “Oh. _ Oh! _ R-right, my package. Well, y’see… it’s already arrived. Signed and everything.”

I smiled at that, realizing what Levi was doing.

“A-anyway,” Levi went on, speaking a bit faster as his nerves began kicking in, “I did say we’d play games and all… and um...”

He was rocking on his heels, then eventually pulled a messenger bag covered in anime pins I had failed to notice off his shoulder. He set it down on Belphie’s hope chest, revealing a few handheld consoles, and a couple multiplayer video games.

“I brought some games over,” he eventually let out. “Enough for all three of us. So… why don't we all hang out here and play them together? That sound okay, Belphie?”

Belphie looked at the games, then back at me. He grinned, then snagged one of the consoles from the bag.

“I call the purple one!” he declared.

“What? No fair!” I exclaimed teasingly. “I wanted the purple one! You take the blue one!”

“I got it first, Belle! Not my fault you’re slow!”

Seeing us play fighting over the console, Levi finally relaxed, laughing as he scooped up an orange handheld for himself before holding out the blue one.

“Come on, Belle,” he insisted, giving the console a shake. “Let’s play!”

I grinned, taking the console.

…

Levi beat us. No, that’s too soft of a word to describe what he did. He  _ annihilated _ us. Levi showed us no mercy to either of us, and merely laughed at our failures. I’m pretty sure part of it was revenge against me for the DDO sniper, especially with how his laugh took on an evil undertone every time I cried out at another set-back. My only consolation was that Belphie too was suffering at the same humiliation as me.

“Augh!” Belphie cried out, slamming a fist into the mattress of his bed. “I lost every one of my items because of you, Levi! Every last one!”

“Hey, don’t blame me,” Levi quipped, looking as smug as ever. “You shouldn’t have tried to block my Henry from getting past you!”

“Okay then, this calls for some revenge!” Belphie mashed a button hard. “Eat banana peel! Boom!”

“Gyah!” I exclaimed as my character spun out of control. “Belphie! You hit me!”

“Oops,” Belphie winced. “Sorry...”

“LOL!” Levi cackled. “That’s like, what, your tenth banana peel in this race alone? You suck at this, Belle!”

“You’re the one who keeps dodging them and forcing her to hit them!” Belphie argued.

It was all in good fun, and we were all enjoying ourselves immensely. Soon, the game ended, and not surprisingly, Levi was the winner.

“Alright!” he cheered, throwing his hands in the air. “Looks like I win the Bloodroot cup too!”

“I came in fifth...” I groaned, then I got a look at the scoreboard. “Though at least I’m not dead last. Belphie, how did I beat you? You were head of me for most of the-”

I cut off when I finally got a look at the youngest brother. He was leaning against his headboard, head lolled forward and the game just resting in his loose hands. His eyes were closed, and he was snoring lightly.

“You’re kidding me,” I let out. “Did he seriously fall asleep?”

“Yeah, that’s Belphie for you,” Levi said with a shrug, slipping the game from Belphie’s hand before turning it off. “Even when he really wants to do something, his sin kicks in if he gets too comfortable.”

“Then I guess that means he felt comfortable around you,” I remarked. “He had fun and got to spend time with his brother.”

That got Levi to crack a smile.

“I guess so...” he laughed a bit. “And here I was, worried things would be awkward. Thanks Belle.”

“Anytime,” I replied, handing him my own game. “Now let’s let him rest.”

Levi nodded and we both slipped out of the room, and I chalked up another victory in my personal mission to help Belphie.

…

A day or so later, Belphie and I were in the common room, playing with a deck of cards. I was teaching him how to play Gin Rummy, and after three practice rounds, we were ready to play. Unfortunately for Belphie, I grew up in a home where game night was a warzone, and all love was left at the door. As such, I had no mercy for the poor youngest brother.

“Oh come on!” he snapped, slamming his cards onto the coffee table. “You wiped the floor with me again!”

“Hey, you got alot closer than last time,” I assured him. “Don’t sell yourself short.”

“Are all humans this good at cards, or is that just another gift of yours?”

I just shrugged at that, shuffling the cards for another round.

“Wanna try your luck again?” I offered.

“Nah,” Belphie replied, smirking a bit. “Let’s do a game of Blackjack this time. We’ll see who comes out on top.”

I smirked right back, and a small laugh echoed from one of the large armchairs. Both of us glanced over to see Satan curled up, reading glasses perched on his nose and a book in his hands. He didn’t even look up from the pages as a smile slipped across his face.

“You never learn, do you?” he quipped. “You’re only going to end up losing again.”

“Nobody asked for your opinion, Satan,” Belphie growled lightly as I began dealing the cards. “Besides, I thought you were reading over there, not watching over our shoulder. Or is the book just for show as you spy on us like one of the detectives in your novels.”

“My eyes and mind are focused on reading,” Satan replied, his smile never fading as he licked his thumb and flipped the page. “However, my ears are listening to your conversation.”

I let out a whistle when I heard that.

“Now that's what I call multitasking,” I let out. “And here I am, barely able to walk and chew gum at the same time.”

“I’ll admit, that is pretty clever,” Belphie spoke up.

“Why don’t you take a page from me and try to be more clever yourself,” Satan suggested, his smile becoming much more playful, “so that you can at least win one game against Belle.”

“You can keep your pages to yourself,” Belphie retorted, turning to me and snapping up the cards from my hand. “I’ll win the next game either way.”

He began dealing the cards as Satan just chuckled lightly, shaking his head.

“No matter how many times you try, the outcome will always be the same.”

“Quiet, Satan,” Belphie requested, looking at his cards. “Are you rooting for me here or not?”

“Nah, he’s  _ totally _ cheering for me,” I joked. “Right Satan?”

“Go Belle!” Satan cheered, lifting a hand into the air as he  _ still _ kept reading undettered. “Show him what you’ve got!”

I laughed at that, which caused a small blush to cross Satan’s face. About that time, Lucifer stuck his head in, glancing around the room. When his eyes landed on Satan, he walked fully inside.

“Ah, here you are, Satan. Perfect timing. I wanted to talk about Diavolo’s birthday party.”

“Sure,” Satan replied, sliding a bookmark into his book before closing it. “Belle, you’re going to be there too, right?”

I gave him a thumbs up, trying to keep my focus on the game in front of me. Lucifer seemed surprised by how cooperative Satan was, but remained silent as Satan slid his reading glasses off.

“I was just thinking of heading to the kitchen for a drink. How about we discuss things on the way?”

Lucifer quickly recovered from his earlier shock, giving his brother a nod.

“Sure, sounds good.”

They both walked out of the common room, much to Belphie’s surprise. He watched them go, then turned to me with a suspicious look in his eye.

“Something strange is going on with him...”

“What do you mean?”

“Satan,” Belphie insisted, gesturing to the door. “The one I knew wasn’t nearly so good-natured. He had more of an edge to him. He didn’t show him on the surface, but deep down, it was like he was always irritated… especially when I came to Lucifer. Whatever Lucifer was for, Satan was against. He made that very clear. But now, it’s like he’s calmed down completely. He’s agreeable as can be. That’s not the Avatar of Wrath I know.”

“I’ll admit, that’s the Satan I knew in the beginning,” I told him. “Angry, argumentative. At least, before the switch.”

“Switch?”

I laughed a bit, lowering my cards.

“Right, I forgot. I never did get a chance to tell you about that.”

Belphie dropped his cards, grinning and practically begging for the details. With a laugh, I told him all about the cursed tome. He was laughing his ass off when I told him about Satan’s attempt to make Lucifer look bad in front of Diavolo. When I started on the dating sim incident, Belphie was once again laughing, especially at Levi’s nicknames for Mammon. He seemed genuinely surprised when I told him about Cerberus, and how the two mellowed after that. Explaining the time on the train merely brought things full circle.

“Incredible...” Belphie let out. “I can’t believe all that really happened. At least this explains why your visits didn’t restart after the retreat. Ugh, I wish I’d been there.”

“It was an adventure, not gonna lie.”

“To think that Satan was actually in Lucifer’s body, and Lucifer was in Satan’s...” Belphie shook his head, leaning back on the couch. “I’m sure that must have been really hard on Lucifer… if only I could have  _ seen _ it! Why, why, why did I have to miss that?!”

I just shrugged.

“Honestly, it was such a long and dramatic couple of days. But, in the end, they softened to one another. Satan’s started being nicer to Lucifer, and vice versa.”

“I never thought I’d see the day,” Belphie replied. “Guess deep down, he’s a tsundere character, just like Mammon.”

“Only he’s a lot more subtle than that,” I corrected.

“Well,” Satan spoke up, re-entering the room with his arms crossed. “Look who decided to talk about me behind my back.”

“Oh, you’re back already?” Belphie called out, completely nonchalant about the entire thing.

Satan chuckled a bit, then came over to join us. He sat down on the edge of the couch, relaxing as he did.

“Just so we’re clear, I still love to see Lucifer suffer.” His grin became somewhat sadistic as his laughter gained an evil undertone. “Just the  _ thought _ of it gets me excited.”

Belphie seemed to sigh in relief at that, and I just couldn’t contain my own laughter. The two brothers turned to me as I coughed, trying to regain control of myself.

“Well, I’ll admit that I love seeing Lucifer flustered,” I said, much to the delight of my two companions. “I mean, he’s usually so composed and perfect, but being able to shatter that facade, even for a moment...”

“It’s glorious,” Belphie nodded enthusiastically. “I’m just glad Satan hasn’t completely changed. I liked the way he was before.”

Satan smirked, reaching over and giving his brother a noogie. Belphie playfully yelped, trying to escape from his brother’s grasp while smacking him with his pillow. When they broke apart, they were both smiling and laughing.

“Y’know...” Belphie let out, a sly smirk on his face, “while I was up in the attic, I hit on a really good idea. We’ll form a group! I hereby declare us ‘the Formerly Anti-Lucifer League’!”

“What are you talking about?” Satan questioned, sounding confused.

“And why am I part of the group?” I asked.

“Belle, you repeatedly disobeyed Lucifer, went behind his back, made pacts with all of my brothers, and were nearly killed by him twice,” Belphie pointed out. “You’re clearly someone who was formerly against Lucifer, like me and Satan. Now, all of us with former grudges against our eldest brother can team up to do something he’s sure to hate.”

“Belle’s was less of a grudge and more of an ulterior motive, but your point still stands,” Satan allowed, nodding slightly. “Besides, with more numbers, the better.”

I laughed, holding up my hands in a placating gesture.

“Alright, alright, I yield. I’m part of the Formerly Anti-Lucifer League.”

Belphie grinned, as did Satan. The two brothers then shared a high five, then we all gathered together to conspire.

“So, let’s here it,” Satan insisted. “What exactly shall our little group do to get under Lucifer’s skin?”

“What else?” Belphie snickered. “We’re going to prank Lucifer.”

…

Don’t ask me what we were thinking, or why my usual common sense filter hadn’t given me a swift kick in the rear, but the three of us that made up the Formerly Anti-Lucifer League were standing in the library, huddled in the corner where two bookshelves met. I was pretty sure we were going to be caught, but here I was, actually helping with this idea of Belphie’s rather than trying to stop it.

“Well, as far as pranks go, this one is fairly basic,” Belphie began, keeping his voice low. “I call it Operation: Put Super-Spicy Hot Sauce in Lucifer’s Prized Vintage Demonus.”

“Hmm,” Satan hummed, nodding sadistically, “excellent plan, Belphegor. That will certainly get a rise out of him.”

“I know right?”

“Well, someone’s been going to the Levi school of naming operations,” I quipped. “Still, this seems like something that would be interesting to watch.”

“Now you’re getting into it, Belle,” Belphie grinned. “You’d make a good demon yourself.”

“When I think about how distraught Lucifer is going to be...” Satan mused, shuddering in sick pleasure, “That moment when he takes a sip, and realizes that his vintage Demonus has been spiked with hot sauce, that it’s ruined...”

He devolved into a low, cruel chuckle at that. I’ll admit, I shuddered a bit at the sound, chills racing down my spine. Unlike me, Belphie seemed to revel in the sound, letting out a small, content noise.

“It’s a relief to hear you talk like that. You really  _ are _ still yourself Satan.”

Satan’s laughter died down and he grew serious once more.

“But this won’t be simple, you know? The Demonus is kept behind a secret door here in the library.”

“Sheesh,” I let out, shaking my head. “Just how many secret rooms are in this place?”

“Are we including the dungeon?” Belphie piped up.

“There’s a dungeon?!”

Both demons shushed me quickly and I choked, covering my mouth as I realized how loud I’d been. We glanced around, making sure we hadn’t been spotted, then all three of us let out a sigh of relief.

“As I was saying,” Satan started again, “the secret room in question is Lucifer’s secret study. Which means...”

“The door will be guarded by powerful magic,” Belphie finished for him. “As a deterrent against our resident thief, Mammon… what a pain...”

“Well, if you’re expecting me to shatter the illusion again, I’m pretty sure Lilith isn’t going to help me out this time,” I spoke up.

“I doubt it will come to that,” Satan assured me. “Most likely, there’s a secret phrase or something to lift the enchantment on the door. The question is, what could it be?”

“Why don’t we try guessing,” Belphie suggested. “Think of words and phrases Lucifer might use, say them aloud, then see what happens.”

Almost immediately, Satan smirked.

“Diavolo is everything,” he tried, putting on a tone of reverence and lust that would put Asmo to shame.

“I would die for you, Diavolo,” Belphie attempted, a very similar tone in his voice.

I snorted at the suggestions, clearing my throat before putting on the best Lucifer impression I could muster.

“Kneel before me.”

That seemed to get the brothers to snicker a bit, hands covering their mouths to try and muffle themselves.

“I bet Lucifer secretly thinks that all the time,” Belphie insisted.

“It does seem like something he’s like to say, especially when he has someone at his mercy,” Satan admitted.

“Come on, come on,” I urged, all of my inhibitions out the window as this game of ours continued. “Who’s got one?”

“Okay, how about something like this?” Satan suggested, putting on the overly flirtatious tone he’d used the first day at RAD when he was in Lucifer’s body. “Diavolo, I love you so much it hurts!”

“Diavolo’s lap dog!” Belphie cackled.

“Diavolo, there’s nothing I wouldn’t let you do to me!” Satan bellowed.

“In fact, there’s so much I wish you  _ would _ do to me!” Belphie exclaimed, all of us just devolving into laughter. “If only-!”

“There’s nothing I wouldn’t let you do to me...” a voice behind us recited, making all three of us freeze. “In fact, there’s so much I wish you  _ would _ do to me, if only… Well then, how about I cut you to pieces, boil you, grill you, and devour your flesh…?”

All three of us turned to see a rip roaringly pissed Lucifer glaring daggers at all of us. I let out a noise that was in an octave only dogs could hear, and the eldest brother just stepped towards us with murder in his eyes.

“ _ What do you say? _ ” he snarled.

“Oops...” Belphie let out.

“What are you three doing sneaking around like this in the library?” he demanded, eyes locking onto me. “I might expect this of Satan and Belphegor, but you Belle? I would have figured you would have learned your lesson about sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong.”

“Uh...” I struggled to get my thoughts in order, words completely failing me. “I uh… um...” I then just dropped to the ground in an expression of surrender, my voice high and panicky. “I’m sorry!”

Lucifer let out a very soft, cruel laugh, a smile playing on his face.

“Do you really think I’m so compassionate that a simple apology will earn you my forgiveness? It’s obvious you three are plotting some sort of lame prank at my expense.” He reached down, grabbing me and throwing me over his shoulder like a piece of luggage. “Come with me. I’m going to give you a  _ stern _ talking to.”

“Wow, a lecture from Lucifer?” Belphie commented, smiling as he got up and followed after Lucifer. “This really brings back the memories...”

“You seem happy about this, Belphie,” Satan noted, though he too was smiling as he fell in line behind Belphie.

“Hey, you’re smiling too,” I pointed out, gesturing to his face as I was hanging where I could see them both.

“Enough talk back there,” Lucifer warned.

“Yes, Lucifer!” we all called in unison, even if we were all too cheerful to sound cowed.

Despite the situation I was in, and the inevitable lecture I was about to face, seeing Belphie and Satan getting along made me feel so warm inside. It hadn’t taken much, but now, Belphie was back on speaking terms with half of his brothers. Now, all I had to do was work on the other three, and survive Lucifer’s lecture.


	34. The Brothers Make Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Belle's mission to get the brothers to make up finally comes to an end...

Lucifer’s lecture was surprisingly not as bad as I remembered. It only lasted an hour instead of the usual three. I was given a very stern warning about allowing myself to be dragged into such petty acts of sabotage and snooping. He brought up my history involving my bad habit, including my multiple brushes with death, and my _actual_ death. He warned that next time, I may not be so lucky to escape, and I should keep that in mind as a human in the Devildom.

Satan was fussed at for the various degrading things he insinuated while trying to open the secret study. He went on and on about how he had hoped Satan had grown out of this immature phase, to which Satan merely grinned mischievously. This made Lucifer redouble his lecture, reminding his brother that he was one of the seven rulers of the Devildom, and should try to act like it for once. I think he just gave up after a bit, because Satan’s smile never faded.

Belphegor, as the mastermind behind the entire plot, was severely reprimanded for even thinking about ruining his vintage Demonus. Dragging me into his plan got him especially yelled at, considering his record with me and getting me hurt/killed. Belphie actually seemed cowed by this, and swore he’d never let something like that happen again. Shockingly, Satan stood up for Belphie there, saying that spiking Demonus with hot sauce was just a harmless prank. Belphie seemed happy by the support, and Lucifer did concede to Satan’s point. Still, he insisted that I be left out of their future schemes for my own safety, and they agreed.

When it was over, I decided to take Belphie and get out of the House of Lamentation. We still needed to get Diavolo his birthday presents, and I could tell he could use some fresh air. We headed out into the shopping district, hand in hand as we walked.

“So,” I began, looking at the various shops that were available, “where should we start?”

“I don’t know,” Belphie replied, shaking his head slightly. “It’s hard coming up with ideas for presents, especially when it’s someone like Diavolo.”

“Tell me about it,” I nodded. “I mean, he’s the Lord of the Devildom. If he wants something, all he has to do is snap his fingers and he gets it. How the hell are we supposed to find a present for someone like him?”

“Normally, I’d say we should look for something he might buy for himself for fun, but even _that_ is a tall order,” Belphie groaned. “Maybe we shouldn’t even try and just get him a gag gift instead?”

“Honestly, I can’t think of anything better, and knowing Lord Diavolo, he’ll get a chuckle out of it. Lucifer may get mad, but I doubt he’ll be able to do much since we did get the present.”

“I guess. I mean, it’s our only option at this point.” Belphie took a deep breath, running his fingers through his hair to try and brush it out of his face. “Alright, there’s this promising looking store not far from here. We just need to take this side street up ahead, and we’ll get there.”

We began heading towards the side street, passing by one of the many shops that filled the area. As we did, the doors to the shop opened and Solomon came slipping out. When he spotted us, he smiled and waved us down.

“Hello Belphie,” he greeted, approaching us. “Belle. I must say, this must be my days for encounters in the shopping district.”

“Hey Solomon,” I waved. “Whatcha mean by that?”

“I saw Asmodeus not far from here, flitting through Majolish. From the amount of bags he had on his arms, it was clear he’s been one one of his usual shopping extravaganzas. Honestly, I’m surprised he was able to carry all that stuff, but then again, I should know better than to underestimate him.”

“Well, Asmo _has_ always liked shopping,” Belphie mused. “Sometimes, he’s as bad as Mammon when it comes to maxing out his cards.”

“Though thankfully, he’s much better at paying off his debts,” I added. “After all, he can’t allow himself to be caught up in one of Lucifer’s punishments. It would ruin is skin care routine and sleep schedule, and absolutely nothing will stand in the way of him maintaining his already stunning beauty.”

“And here I thought you were Asexual, Belle,” Solomon mused.

“Just because I don’t feel like sleeping with anyone doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate an amazing view,” I corrected.

“Of course, my apologies. Now, back to you and Belphegor, what brings you both out here this afternoon? Certainly not a spree like Asmo’s.”

“We’re trying to find a present for Lord Diavolo’s birthday party.”

Solomon snapped his fingers, perking slightly.

“Ah yes. Now that you mention it, that is coming up soon, isn’t it? That would explain why you’re picking out presents together. I didn’t realize you two were so close.”

He pointedly looked down at our hands, which were still entwined with one another. Belphie turned red and hastily dropped my hand, stuffing both into his pockets. I laughed lightly, crossing my arms comfortably.

“Oh, speaking of which, that reminds me,” Solomon spoke up again. “Belphie, are you planning on making a pact with Belle?”

Belphie turned even redder at those words, and I choked on air.

“Huh...” Belphie let out. “Me, make a pact with Belle?”

“Yes,” Solomon nodded, a playful edge to his voice. “And by the way, I’d like to make a pact with you myself, Belphie. What do you say?”

“Not interested,” Belphie replied bluntly.

“Yeah,” I nodded. “Belphie spent several months as a prisoner in his own home. You really think he’s going to sign away his freedom after barely two weeks?.”

“I know, and I expected as much,” Solomon admitted. “However, I’m shocked he’s not even going to consider it.”

“What do you expect?” Belphie piped up, “Having to follow someone else’s orders would be annoying. And like Belle said, I just got my freedom back, so I’m gonna enjoy it for a while before I even _consider_ making a pact with a human.”

I noticed him glance at me out of the corner of his eye, as if gauging my reaction to his words. I just gave him a reassuring smile as I reached out and squeezed his shoulder. Solomon also noticed, smirking a bit.

“I get the feeling you’re already considering it,” he remarked,

Belphie’s hand shot out of his pocket grabbing mine once more.

“Look, if you don’t need anything, we’ll be leaving now,” he declared curtly. “We’re kind of busy. Let’s go, Belle.”

And with that, I was unceremoniously dragged off. Watching us go, Solomon gave a playful wave, his smirk never fading.

“If you change your mind about the pact, let me know Belphie. I’m always open to the idea.”

“I won’t!” Belphie promised from afar. “So forget it!”

…

As it turns out, the shop Belphie led us to did not have a gift that we felt was a worthwhile gag gift for Lord Diavolo. As much, we ended up spending the rest of the afternoon, and a good part of the evening searching for something. Luckily, we eventually managed to find a gift that we both liked, and our Grimm reserves were just enough to get it. With our mission complete, we returned to the House of Lamentation, our feet sore and our faces plastered with smiles.

“Man, I can’t remember the last time I spent this much time out shopping,” I spoke up, sliding my shoes off as I sat down on the stairs with a grunt. “Still, I had fun.”

“Me too,” Belphie agreed, plopping down next to me as he too kicked off his shoes. “Then again, I’ve probably had a much bigger gap in time since my last shopping visit.”

“Well, I’m glad you had fun,” I declared, swinging an arm over his shoulder. “And, I think Lord Diavolo will like the gift we found.”

“He better, because that was all of our Grimm. We can’t afford another one if he doesn’t.” Belphie then let out a large yawn, stretching as I backed off to give him room. “Well, we’ve still got some time before dinner. You want to head back to my room and-?”

“ _THERE_ you are!” Asmo exclaimed, skipping down the stairs towards us. “Ugh, just how long were you planning on making me wait for you?”

Both Belphie and I gave Asmo confused looks, his outburst making no sense to either of us. He just rolled his eyes at us, grabbing us both by our arms and pulling us back onto our feet.

“Come on you two, let’s go!”

“Wait, what?” Belphie let out, stumbling along behind his brother.

“Go where?” I asked, also stumbling to keep up. “Asmo, what’s going on?”

“We’re going to my room!” Asmo declared. “Now hurry up! Come on!”

He pulled us up the stairs and down the hallway towards the flowery door that led to Asmo’s room. He pushed the door open, ushering us both inside. As he did, I took the opportunity to look around at the room, this being my first time in it.

The room looked like something out of a fairytale, a large canopy bed with pink, silk sheet curtains rested against an ornate, white wooden panel wall. The canopy itself was a beautiful golden piece of art, covered in fleur de lis and delicate golden flowers. A beautiful chandelier hung from the ceiling, and light pink cloth spread out to every corner of the ceiling in artful ribbons. He had a beautiful vanity set along one wall with a large mirror framed in spiraling rose gold. Various skin care products and high quality make-up could be seen neatly arranged across its surface. There was a chaise lounge by a large window that looked like it was plucked from the titanic itself from that iconic scene. I could see another flowery door that no doubt led to Asmo’s personal bathroom, but what really stood out was the massive amount of pink rose vines growing across his bed and window pane.

“This is your room?” I gasped.

“Oh that’s right,” Asmo realized. “You’ve never had the pleasure of coming in here, have you? Well, don’t be shy, come on in. Both of you.”

As Belphie and I stepped in, we took notice of what looked like a very large changing screen, also an ornate, golden piece with floral designs carved into the woodwork, that was practically covered with various outfits. There was also a large mirror, like one you’d find in a dressing room at the mall.

“What is all this?” Belphie questioned, looking even more confused than ever. “There are clothes everywhere. You’re usually so much neater than this.”

“Well, I can’t help it,” Asmo whined, gently pushing his brother so he was sitting on the chaise lounge. “No matter how hard I try, I can’t seem to make a decision!”

“Is that why you bought so much stuff from Majolish?” I asked. “Solomon said he saw you flitting around in there with a mountain of stuff.” I glanced at the large piles of clothes. “I’m guessing this is the stuff.”

“Right you are, Belle,” Asmo declared, taking my arm and making me stand in front of the three-fold mirror. “Now, I need you to tell me what kind of outfit you prefer.”

“Hmm,” I let out, tapping my thumbnail against my bottom lip. “I’d have to say something simple. I’ve never been one for over the top outfits.”

Asmo thought that over, then began going through the pile of clothes he’d picked out. He grabbed a long sleeve, turquoise shirt and a pair of dark jeans. He then snagged what looked like a darker leather jacket, and a lighter brown corduroy scarf. He held them up for me, arranging them so I could see all the pieces together.

“So, something like this?”

I gave a nod, honestly picturing myself wearing that particular outfit. Belphie leaned forward, glancing at the outfit.

“The overall image you project is important as well though, right?” he said. “It can completely change the impression people have of you.”

“This is very true,” I noted. “I know when I don’t want people to bother me, I wear just a hoodie and sweats. That outfit basically screams ‘leave me alone’.”

“And what about this outfit?” Asmo asked, moving so Belphie could get a better look. “What do you think it says.”

“I say it’s a more mature, subdued look,” Belphie answered, “and I think that fits Belle well.”

“Aww, thanks Belphie,” I gushed.

“And with that fiery red hair of yours, the turquoise will go great,” Asmo insisted, slipping a hand free so he could hook a piece of back-length hair to compare to the shirt. “See?”

“Lilith always looked good in blues,” Belphie noted, smiling as he said it. “Her hair was just like yours, Belle. Though it was a lot wilder and curly. She had to keep it braided just so it didn’t look like her head was on fire.”

“Thankfully, I inherited my father’s stick straight hair,” I recalled, running my fingers through my hair to remove some tangles.

“I think your hair looks lovely, Bella,” Asmo insisted, sliding the outfit off the hangers before folding it and handing it to me. “Make sure to wear this on the day of the party. Oh! And wear those knee-high boots you have. The dark ones, got it?”

“Wait, really?” I questioned, taking the bundle of clothes in shock. “You’re just giving these to me?”

“Yep!” Asmo declared, beaming from ear to ear. “Thanks for all the help, both of you!”

Belphie just shrugged.

“I didn’t do much,” he insisted.

“Nonsense,” Asmo dismissed, waving his hand. “You knew Belle’s style, and the right colors for her hair color and style. You must really pay a lot of attention to Belle, huh Belphie?”

“Huh?” Belphie choked, turning red again. “What? Why would you say that? Just because I have a sense of fashion, it doesn’t mean I’m paying a lot of attention, now does it?”

“Oh come on,” Asmo gushed, sitting down and pulling his brother into a hug. “Don’t be embarrassed!”

“I’m not embarrassed...” Belphie groaned, though he made no moves to get out of the hug. “I’m not, really.”

I watched the two sit there, silently putting a mental check mark by Asmo’s name in my head. It was clear any hard feelings held by the lustful demon were long gone, meaning four of Belphie’s brothers were once again back on happy terms. I slipped out of the room to give them some privacy, celebrating my unintended win.

…

The next day, I had managed to finish all of my homework for the day, so I decided to do something to relax. Thankfully, Levi was quick to offer up one of his games; Rags to Riches: The Paradise and Underworld Life Simulation Game. After triple checking to make sure that this game wouldn’t end up sucking us into an alternate reality, we started playing. Mammon ended up joining in on the fun, but much like in real life, he completely sucked at the game.

“Oh come on!” Mammon exclaimed, nearly chucking his console across my room. “I lost big on the stock market again!”

“Well I just adopted my third kid,” I said with a grin, making gimme motions with my hand. “I’ll be awaiting my congratulatory check.”

“AGAIN?!” Mammon bellowed, groaning before flopping onto the carpet. “Ugh...”

“And… I just listed my company on the stock market,” Levi declared with a shit eating grin of his own. “What was it you were saying? That you’d be running this game before the third round was over? I do believe _I’m_ the one running it this time.”

“I swear, this game is like the Devildom equivalent of Monopoly,” I spoke up, laughing a bit. “And Levi’s like my dad, the undefeated Evil Overlord of the Gauntlet.”

“It’s a dog-eat-dog world in Rags to Riches, Belle,” Levi replied, relishing in my praise. “We don’t play nice ‘round these parts.”

“Y’know what?” Mammon declared, sitting up and smiling. “Let’s start over! Reset back to the beginning! Whaddya say?!”

“No way!” I declared.

“Yeah, as if!” Levi snapped before turning to me. “Go on, Belle. It’s your turn next.”

Before I could play, the door to my room was thrown open. I’ll admit, I yelped at the sudden noise, but at least I didn’t scream like Mammon did. Levi jumped as well, but managed to keep his composure as we turned towards the door. There, we saw Belphie stalking towards us, looking pissed. I felt Levi’s tail sprouting from his back, wrapping around me carefully as Mammon carefully gripped my arm, ready to get me out of there if need be. Thankfully, it didn’t come to that. Belphie just flopped down in front of me, planted his pillow in my lap, and proceeded to scream into it.

“Uh…. Belphie?” I let out, beyond confused. “Are… you okay?”

“You’re not here to hurt Belle again, are you?” Levi asked cautiously.

“No...” Belphie grumbled into his pillow before lifting his head. “Sorry for scaring you like that. It’s just… it’s fucking Beel.”

“What happened?” I asked. “Did you two get into a fight?”

“Yeah, we did,” Belphie nodded.

“Seriously?” Mammon questioned, releasing my arm at the same time Levi’s tail unwrapped from around my waist. “You and Beel had a fight? That’s like… hard to believe.”

“Yeah,” Levi nodded in agreement. “You two are usually so close and all.”

“Well, we did, and it’s all Beel’s fault.” Belphie’s face went right back into the pillow on my lap. “Seriously, I’m sick of it. Ever since I got back, he’s been acting strange. Like, he’ll keep glancing over at me, but then as soon as he realizes that I see him, he’ll suddenly look away. It’s like he’s a preteen girl with a crush!”

“Hey, I’m sure it’s only temporary,” I insisted, gently running my fingers through his hair.

“Yeah, she’s right,” Mammon nodded. “It’s just a now thing.”

“Well I don’t _like_ this now thing!” Belphie snapped, raising his head again to glare at Mammon. “I mean, I’m known as his twin for a reason. I can pretty much tell what’s going through his head at any time. He’s feeling guilty because he didn’t realize I was being held prisoner. I’ve told him over and over again not to worry about it, but he always says ‘that’s not possible’. He can be so stubborn.”

“Yeah, that sounds like Beel alright,” Levi nodded.

“Yep, he has some pretty weird hang-ups sometimes,” Mammon agreed. “Things he can’t accept.”

“Heck, he was hung up on accidentally destroying the floor of my room for a full month, and I’m pretty sure he _still_ feels guilty about my first near death experience in the crypt,” I supplied.

“Well whatever,” Belphie decided, finally curling up so he was laying down on his side. “We got into a fight and I walked out on him. I’m done, I’m moving out. Well, moving out of the shared bedroom, I should say.”

“As someone who’s slept in that room, I have to say it’s one of the nicest in the House of Lamentation,” I told him, resuming playing with his sinfully soft hair.

“Well, I think yours is better,” Belphie argued. “So tonight, I’m sleeping here. You don’t mind, do you?”

Before I even got the chance to answer, Mammon grabbed Belphie, yanking him off my lap and bringing him up so they were nose to nose.

“ ** _Oooh no you don’t!_** ” Mammon shouted. “No **_way_** you’re sleeping in here!”

“Last time I checked, this was Belle’s room, and I was asking her, not you,” Belphie sneered, batting Mammon’s hands away. “This is none of your business.”

“You better bet it is! Belle! Tell him no! And be real mean about it!”

“I mean, if he wants to stay, he can,” I said with a shrug. “He’s not the first demon I’ve had sleep over, and I think he’ll be the quietest roommate out of all of you.”

“HEY!!” Mammon exclaimed before growling and turning to Belphie. “W-well, I don’t care what Belle says! As your older brother, I forbid it!”

“Says the guy who only uses the ‘big brother’ card when you want something,” Belphie scoffed.

Levi was just recording the entire incident on his D.D.D, no doubt to post to Deviltube later, or maybe Devilgram. I just rolled my eyes, leaving the two to argue as I got up. Levi noticed me leaving and glanced over.

“Hey Belle, where are you going?” he asked.

“To find Beel,” I replied. “I’m the bridge for you guys, so I better start acting like one. You just keep an eye on these two so they don’t obliterate my room.”

Levi shot me a thumbs up and I slipped out of the room, taking Belphie’s pillow with me as I did.

…

Knowing Beel, I made a beeline for the kitchen, figuring he was either stress eating, or just eating in general. Heading inside, I was greeted by a smell that was, ironically, heavenly. Beel was standing over a massive wrought iron cauldron over the wood burning stove. I think he was making some sort of soup, as he was stirring the pot with a large, wooden spoon.

“Hey Beel,” I greeted.

Beel glanced over, looking surprised to see me. He didn’t say anything, so I slid closer, snagging a small stool from under the counter so I could see over the edge of the cauldron.

“Whatcha making? It smells amazing.”

“Quetzalcoatl stew,” Beel answered, holding out the spoon for me. “Have a taste.”

I took a sip, the flavor running over my tongue as my eyes flew open. It made sense that the Avatar of Gluttony knew how to cook, but this was at a level on par with gourmet chefs.

“It’s delicious,” I said, licking my lips. “Am I detecting an extra helping of brains in there?”

“Yeah,” Beel nodded, looking down under my arm, where I had Belphie’s pillow tucked. “They’re Belphie’s favorite...”

I nodded, realization dawning.

“Let me guess, you’re making the stew for him?”

“...yeah. He’s in your room, I’m guessing.”

“Yep. Barged in, face planted in my lap, and asked to stay. He’s currently arguing with Mammon over his right to sleep in my room.”

Beel looked away, letting out a noise that showed just how upset he was. I reached over, gently rubbing his back.

“Hey, why don’t we bring the stew up to Belphie?” I suggested. “It’ll get him to stop fighting with Mammon, and maybe we can talk out all these issues between you two. Alright?”

Beel looked up, and finally cracked a smile.

“Alright,” he nodded, grabbing the handles of the cauldron. “You mind grabbing some bowls and spoons for everyone?”

“Way ahead of ya.”

I grabbed five bowls, as well as five large spoons, and together, we ventured out into the dining room.

“Belphie’s a nice guy, so I think he’ll accept this stew when I offer it to him,” Beel declared, before sighing and shaking his head. “But deep down, he won’t have forgiven me.”

“Well, what you’re doing is pretty mean,” I admitted. “I mean, why are you just assuming how he feels? The only one who knows how Belphie’s feeling is Belphie himself.”

“Sure… but still...”

“But nothing,” I cut off, stepping in front of Beel so he was forced to stop. “Come up with all the excuses you want, but it still doesn’t-”

“Belle,” Belphie’s voice called from the dining room door, “enough.”

I stopped, shocked to see Belphie standing there. Mammon and Levi were flanking him, watching everything. Beel was equally shocked, setting the stew down on the dining table, approaching his brother cautiously. I set the bowls down, scooting over so I was standing by Levi and Mammon.

“What’s going on?” I asked.

“Mammon convinced Belphie to try and make nice with Beel one last time,” Levi explained. “Told him it wouldn’t do him any good to hide in your room and that the bad feelings would just keep festering.”

“Huh,” I let out, turning to Mammon. “Good job, Mammon.”

Mammon just shrugged, and we turned towards the twins. Beel had yet to say anything, and Belphie just looked tired. Well… more tired than usual.

“Beel, we need to talk,” the youngest brother declared. “You feel guilty for everything, and clearly you expect me to punish you for everything. Well fine, I’ll give you what you want.”

He turned on his heel, then socked Beel hard across the face. All three of us observers flinched at the blow. The force of the blow sent Beel’s head snapping back, and he stood there stunned, a bruise welling up on his cheek.

“What the hell?!” I exclaimed once I regained my voice. “You’re supposed to make nice, not punch him out!”

“No, it’s okay Belle,” Beel insisted, wiping his mouth.

“Now listen up, Beel, and listen good!” Belphie demanded, shaking his hand out before jabbing his twin in the chest. “Lilith getting injured in the great battle, me getting locked up in the attic… never one have I thought that any of it was your fault. Never once. And being the older of us two doesn’t mean you have to worry over me for all eternity. I’m not a child.”

Beel remained silent, seemingly stunned by Belphie’s words. The youngest brother sighed, running his fingers through his hair before gathering his second wind.

“You have all this guilt, so you keep feeling like you need to make it up to me. But that actually makes things _harder_ on me. Why don’t you get that you idiot? Is it because you’re all stomach and no brain?! Is that it?!”

“Belphie...” Beel let out softly. “I’m sorry. I’m… I’m sorry.”

Belphie let out a small snort, shaking his head before hugging his twin.

“Beel, you idiot...” he said, burying his face in his brother’s neck. “Is this hug enough for you to understand? Can you finally see how I really feel?”

“Yeah,” Beel replied, wrapping his arms around Belphie. “Yeah, I do.”

“And they finally made up!” Mammon cheered. “Nice goin’! Now, what is that amazing smell I’m getting from that cauldron?”

He went over to the cauldron, grabbing one of the bowls off the table and scooping up a heaping portion of stew.

“Uh, Mammon?” Levi called out. “Are you sure you should be getting into that?”

“Mammon, that’s Belphie’s stew,” Beel growled, dislodging himself from his twin.

“Stew?” Belphie questioned, glancing at the cauldron.

“Quetzalcoatl stew,” I explained. “Beel made it as a peace offering.”

“You have five bowls here, Beel,” Mammon insisted, grinning as he grabbed a spoon. “Clearly you were intending to share, so me taking a share shouldn’t be a problem. Besides, I’m the one who convinced Belphie to make up with-”

“I’m gonna kill you,” Belphie snarled.

“Instead of having stew, I’ll have to devour _you_ Mammon,” Beel growled.

“Come on, seriously?” Mammon insisted, still treating this like a lighthearted joke as Levi’s tail reappeared, pulling me to safety. “Why so serious you two? It’s just some stew...”

I didn’t see what happened next, as Levi had pulled me out of the dining room at that point. However, I could hear the sounds of Mammon getting absolutely pummeled.

“You know, whether it’s in games or real life, Mammon always manages to screw up...” Levi lamented.

I just shrugged, knowing Mammon would be okay. More than that, Beel and Belphie were once again reunited. They’d finally gotten to the bottom of their issues, and their bond was stronger than ever. I grinned, letting Levi drag me off, knowing I only had one brother left to mend bonds with.

...

The next day, Lucifer came and found me during one of my free periods. I was bent over my desk, trying to get some of my homework done now so I wouldn’t have to deal with it later. I felt his gloved hand on my shoulder so I glanced up, seeing him smiling down at me.

“Afternoon Belle,” he greeted.

“Hey Lucifer, what’s up?”

“I was wondering if you would like to accompany me on a shopping trip after class lets out. I’ve yet to find a present for Lord Diavolo, and I was hoping you could be of some assistance.”

“Yeah, sure,” I nodded, then a chuckle slipped out. “Provided you’re not attempting to drag me into debt with you so I’ll owe you a favor.”

Lucifer chuckled lightly at that, shaking his head.

“No ulterior motives this time. You have my word.”

“Then I’m in. See you after class.”

Lucifer nodded, then took his leave, allowing me to return to my work. I watched him leave though and smiled, realizing just how comfortable I had become with Lucifer.

…

Shopping with Lucifer was surprisingly fun. Like me, he didn’t have much patience for just lingering. He knew what he was looking for, and when he didn’t find it, he left. He did let me have my magpie moments where I’d take a moment to look at the various shiny things I saw, but the trip was still relatively quick. When it was done, Lucifer brought me to Ristorante Six, snagging us a table for two.

“I must say, this has to have been one of the quickest and easiest shopping trips I’ve been able to have with another person,” he mused as we glanced at the menus.

“I’ll take that as a compliment,” I replied, looking over the edge. “Thanks for the invitation.”

The waiter came and we ordered. I tried not to order anything  _ too _ expensive, which noticed and seemed to appreciate. Once the waiter left, I leaned in the table, propping my chin on my fist.

“So, why’d you  _ really _ invite me out here?” I asked, a knowing smile on my face. “Clearly, you wanted me alone for a bit.”

Lucifer sighed, though he kept his smile.

“Am I that easy to read?” he asked.

“Only to those who know you. So spill.”

“Alright, alright.” He held up a hand to wave me down. “Satan told me about what you’ve been doing for Belphie, how you’ve been acting as a bridge between him and the rest of us.”

“I’m just doing what I can to help,” I replied with a shrug. “I hate seeing family fight, and you guys have been at odds long enough. If me acting as a buffer can help bend menses for everyone, then I’m all for it.”

“Considering what Belphie did, I’m surprised you’re even willing to speak with him, much less help him.”

“I’ll admit, what happened did terrify me, but Belphie’s making a conscious effort to be better. I swear, all I have to do is step into the room and he’s acting like a docile puppy.”

Lucifer laughed at my analogy, a rich, genuine laugh I don’t think I’ve ever really heard.

“I must admit, that is a rather apt description,” he allowed, nodding. “Still, thank you Belle… for everything you’ve done. Clearly, you were the right choice for this program.”

I smiled at that, then a thought came to me.

“Hey Lucifer,” I began. “You told me awhile back that I was chosen because the wind scattered your papers, right?” When Lucifer nodded, I continued. “What if… what if Lilith was the cause of that wind? What if she used what little influence she had to make sure I came. Maybe… maybe she knew I would be able to help her family, and she made sure I would be chosen.”

Lucifer seemed to let those words sink in, seemingly stunned by the suggestion. Then, before I had a chance to say another word, he got up from his seat, moved around the table, and hugged me. He didn’t say a word, just held me tightly. I returned the hug in kind, gently rubbing his back as gently as I could.

“If she did… then I truly am thankful...” he whispered.

…

We returned back to the House of Lamentation, a to go box in my hand.

“Y’know, maybe I should invest in a mini fridge in my room,” I joked. “That way, I can guarantee I’ll be able to eat my leftovers.”

“Considering the amount of time Beel spends in your room, I fear the investment would be useless,” Lucifer pointed out.

I laughed at that, seeing the logic in that statement. He followed me into the kitchen, watching as I stowed my leftovers. I left a note, hoping it would at least deter Beel from eating them, though I wasn’t about to hold my breath. I prepared to head up to my room, but Lucifer caught my arm before I did.

“Belle,” he said, causing me to stop. “Do you still have time?”

“Yeah, sure,” I nodded, turning to face him. “What’s up?”

“I’d like to spend a little more time with you, if that’s alright. I...” he trailed off for a moment, then seemed to come to a decision. “Follow me.”

Confused, but curious, I followed Lucifer through the halls of the House of Lamentation. To my surprise, we walked into the Planetarium, where Belphie was curled up on one of the couches.

“Ah, I thought I might find you here,” Lucifer mused, gently nudging his brother.

“Lucifer, hey...” Belphie said groggily, sitting up and yawning before rubbing sleep from his eyes. “You’re back pretty late, huh?” His eyes then fell on me and he smiled. “And Belle’s with you too. Guess that explains why neither of you were at dinner tonight.”

“Do you have a second?” Lucifer asked. “I want your opinion on something.”

Belphie glanced at me, hoping for some context. I just shrugged, having no idea what was going on. After a bit, Belphie also shrugged, grabbing his pillow and standing up.

“Sure, I guess.”

“Come with me,” Lucifer requested. “Both of you.”

…

To my surprise, Lucifer led us to the spot in the hallway that opened up to Lilith’s room. He placed his hand against the wallpaper, whispering in what I could only assume was enochian. He was so quiet that we couldn’t make out what he was saying, though I knew he was no doubt reciting the riddle needed to open the door. When the golden arch and white door shimmered into view, Belphie gasped, stumbling back slightly. I reached out on instinct, taking his hand in mine as Lucifer opened the door for us. As we stepped in, Belphie dropped his pillow in shock.

“This… this is… Lilith’s room...” he gasped, voice trembling with emotion. “Her room from back in the Celestial Realm… how...”

“You put it here, didn’t you?” I asked, turning to Lucifer. “You’re the one who brought Lilith’s room down here.”

Lucifer nodded.

“I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised you know about this place, Belle. It seems there’s not a secret down here you’re not privy too.”

“Beel and I found this room on accident during that incident with Luke,” I explained. “It’s when he told me Lilith’s story...”

“Why...” Belphie let out, his eyes still scanning the room in utter disbelief. “Why is this here…?”

Lucifer looked away, shame slipping onto his features. He sat down on the cloth covered bed, rubbing an arm in an almost nervous manner.

“After Lilith was reborn, I vowed never to forget her. I had every intention of keeping that vow, but I think that maybe, somewhere inside, the secret that only I knew about was weighing on me. The secret I was keeping from all of you, about what  _ really _ happened to our sister...” 

His eyes began to glisten, unshed tears welling up. Belphie and I said nothing, sitting down on the covered couch across from Lucifer and just waiting for him. He wiped his eyes, then continued.

“I wanted a place where I could unload it… a place to leave it so I wouldn’t have to think about it. I was the only one who knew, and it was too big of a burden to bear. So, I tucked it away in here to keep it out of sight.” He let out a shuddering breath, wiping his eyes again. “But, I don’t need this place anymore. After all, thanks to a certain someone, my secret has been laid bare for all to see. And the hole in my heart, the sadness I felt having lost Lilith, times have changed. I have all of you.”

Belphie sniffed, and I could see tears of his own trailing down his cheek. I reached up and gently wiped it away, feeling a bit of warmth flood me as he leaned into my touch.

“I… I still feel sad… and lonely with Lilith gone...” the youngest brother admitted.

“I know,” Lucifer nodded, rising to his feet once more. “Which is why, Belphie, I want you to know that if you ever need this place, if you ever want to come here, you’re free to do so whenever you feel like it.”

Belphie perked, looking shocked.

“Lucifer, I...” he paused, looking around the room before giving a nod. “I’ve made my decision.”

He stood up, pulling me to my feet as he did. He squeezed my hand, smiling warmly at his eldest brother.

“Lucifer, I don’t need this place either. I’m sad Lilith’s gone, but even if I had this room, that wouldn’t change. And if we leave this room here forever, then I have a feeling that this sadness will never go away. I’ll always have it inside me. It’s be like when I was stuck up in the attic. I won’t be able to move on… to move forward.”

“He’s right,” I agreed, nodding as I returned the squeeze. “Lilith doesn’t want you all to be clinging to the past. She wants you to move on… to be happy. And I think… I think letting go of this room is a great first step.”

Belphie nodded in agreement.

“Even now, the smallest things still remind me of Lilith. She’s still alive,” he tapped the side of his head with his free hand, “right here in my memory. But you know… with you here Belle, I feel like there’s a new spark in my life, something warm. I’ve got something better than this room right here beside me. Someone I want to treasure.”

My free hand went to my mouth as I felt my own tears beginning to well up. Lucifer was equally touched, though much better at keeping his composure than I was. Belphie turned back to him, letting out a breath before straightening.

“So… it’s okay Lucifer. I don’t need it.”

“Alright,” Lucifer replied, smiling himself.

“Lucifer...”

“What?”

“Thank you for letting me be the one to make that decision.”

“Sure, don’t mention it. Because the truth is, I’ve wanted to do that for a very long time.”

Arm in arm with one another, we walked out of the room together. Belphie turned back, just before the door closed, smiling warmly.

“Goodbye Lilith,” he called out. “Be seeing you, okay?”

And with that, the door closed behind us. It began to glow brightly, then it faded away into nothing. I looked at the enochian words in the wallpaper, watching as they shimmered out of existence, the pattern becoming untampered and seamless.

“I’m glad you’re here, Belle,” Belphie told me, lifting my hand up and squeezing it between both of his. “I’m glad you came to the Devildom, and I’m glad you’re here by my side now, despite how I first treated you.” He then turned to his brother, smiling from ear to ear. “Thank you for choosing Belle, Lucifer.”

Lucifer returned the smile in kind, no doubt thinking back to our discussion in Ristorante Six.

“There was no other choice to make,” Lucifer replied. “Belle was meant to be here.”

I let out a soft laugh, then gently pushed Belphie towards Lucifer. Both demons were stunned for a second, then pulled each other into a much needed hug. I leaned against the wall and just watched, feeling a warmness pass over me.

“I did it, Lilith,” I whispered. “Your family is back together once more.”

I didn’t expect an answer, but a feeling of gratitude washed over me, like a weight I hadn’t known I was carrying was suddenly liften. Deep down, I knew that was Lilith, her soul finally at peace now that her brothers were reunited once more. 


	35. The Surprise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Diavolo's Party finally comes, Belle finds herself at the center of attention.

The night of Diavolo’s party, almost everyone in the House of Lamentation was excited, almost uncharacteristically so. Still, I wasn’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth, especially since all the brothers were together once more, and fighting had been reduced by a rather large margin. I figured the brothers would all be in their demon forms, as they had been during the retreat’s ball, but I still needed to get ready.

Thankfully, Asmo came to my rescue. And by rescue, I mean he barged into my room, grabbed me and the outfit he’d given me the other day, and dragged me back into his room. He had me change into the outfit, then plopped me down at his vanity before giving me a full make-over. I’ll admit, I felt like I was going to my senior prom with the treatment I was getting. He used lighter make-ups since I’d expressed to him that I wasn’t a big fan of the stuff, and even did my hair in an elaborate side braid with a golden ribbon woven through it.

Once I was deemed ready by the Avatar of Lust, I joined the brothers as we all made our way to the Demon Lord’s Palace. Walking side by side with the brothers in their full demonic glory, I’d never felt more at home or safe. 

Once we got inside, the party was already in full swing. There was a massive spread of food set out in a buffet, which Beel instantly went to devour. Mammon was instantly chasing after him, no doubt hoping to snag some of the food himself before it all got eaten. Asmo almost immediately went to go and flirt with a new succubus working as a footman for the palace. From how read the succubus was turning, I was pretty sure those two were probably gonna end up making out in some corner, or worse.

“Well, seems everybody’s enjoying themselves,” I remarked, glancing around the party.

“Maybe a little  _ too _ much,” Satan replied, holding two glasses of Demonus before offering me one. “Here. I managed to snag this for you.”

“Thanks Satan,” I replied, taking the glass and enjoying a sip as I looked around. “Y’know, I was a little worried about this thing devolving into a big mess, but I guess I was worried for nothing. Everything seems to be going smoothly.”

“I think that depends on who you ask,” Satan argued, gesturing towards a column.

I glanced over at the column, seeing Levi curled up against it. His tail was wrapped around him tightly, as if he was hugging himself, and he seemed twitchy and nervous. Curious, and more than a little worried, I walked over to him.

“Hey, Levi?” I called out, causing the poor demon to jump. “Are you okay?”

“No...” he sobbed, curling up tighter. “I can’t take it anymore! So many people… I wanna go back to my room...”

“Must be hard, being socially awkward,” Satan lamented, gently patting his brother on the shoulder.

I leaned against the column, taking another sip of my drink as I spotted Mammon off to the side. I guess he must have given up on the buffet table… or he was eying a large, golden apple that was on display along the wall.

“Oh Mammon...” I muttered under my breath, sighing when I saw him pocket the thing. “Damn scummy demon...”

“Mammon?” Barbatos called out, materializing next to Mammon and causing the greedy demon to nearly jump out of his skin. “Would that happen to be the Golden Fruit you just slipped into your pocket? One of the most treasured items in the Demon Lord’s castle?”

“Wh? Whaaa? ...Wha?!” Mammon stammered, fumbling for the apple in his pocket. “W-well, look at that! How’d that get in there?!” He made a big show of putting the apple back onto the pedestal, sweating like a pig as Barbatos remained completely unconvinced. “Ugh, unbelievable! This treasure here is such a prankster, am I right? What’s the big idea, jumping into my pocket like that, huh?! Bad treasure.”

“Sheesh,” I muttered, shaking my head. “The sad thing is I’m certain part of him thinks his little ruse is totally working.”

“ **_What’s this I hear, Mammon?_ ** ” Lucifer snarled, coming up behind his brother, wings flared and an angry smile on his face. “Not only are you attempting to steal the castle’s ornamental treasures, but you have to go and lie about it too?”

Before Mammon could try and defend himself, Lucifer grabbed him by his horn and dragged him off, no doubt to lecture him or punish him. Most likely, both. Belphie came and joined our little trio by the column, switching out my now empty glass for a full one before slipping the old one on one of the footmen’s trays.

“Careful, Belle,” he warned. “Mammon’s stupidity levels are so off the charts that watching him might cause your brain cells to rot.”

“Well, that would explain the various stupid and wreckless decisions I’ve made these past few months,” I quipped, getting a laugh out of both of us.

“Are you having a good time?” Belphie asked.

“Yeah, I am. What about you?”

“Me…?” Belphie repeated, gesturing to himself before giving a shrug. “I dunno. To be honest, I wasn’t particularly enthused about coming here.”

“Not a big party person?” I asked.

“He’s almost as socially awkward as me,” Levi piped up. “Usually, we try to avoid these parties and just hang out elsewhere.”

“And I guess this being Diavolo’s party, Lucifer strong armed you both into coming,” I mused.

“Sort of,” Belphie admitted. “But if I’m honest, I figured if  _ you _ were going, I had to come.”

“Same with me,” Levi chimed in, waving a hand.

“Awww, you guys...”

I hugged them both, Levi turning bright red as Belphie just seemed to melt into my grip. As I finally, let them go, I heard the sound of a spoon against a glass. The general chatter of the party died down as everyone turned towards the source of the noise: Diavolo. Lucifer even returned with a cowed Mammon. Considering his lack of visible bruises, I’m guessing the second brother only got a lecture rather than a beating.

“Good evening everyone,” Diavolo began, lowering his spoon while keeping his glass aloft. “I’d like to start by thanking everyone for coming tonight to celebrate my birthday. By the way, could anyone here possibly tell me how old I am? Because I’d like to know myself.”

Everyone laughed at that, including myself and my demonic companions. The laughter only lasted for about three seconds, but it seemed to make Diavolo’s chipper mood even more so.

“All jokes aside, I’d like it if you all used my birthday as an excuse to have a good time. So enjoy yourself!”

There were some scattered cheers and more than a little applause. I made sure to clap politely, watching as Diavolo seemed to scan the crowd for a moment.

“And lastly, I’d like to introduce our other guest of honor tonight,” he declared, eyes locking on me as his smile grew wider. “Come on up here, Belle.”

I nearly dropped my glass from complete and utter shock. Applause broke out once more as all the brothers grinned at me. Barbatos came over and ushered me over to where Lord Diavolo was, all while I was left too stunned to even utter a word. As the applause finally died down, I took a breath to try and reclaim control of my scattered thoughts.

“What’s going on?” I questioned. “It’s not my birthday, I’m certain.”

Diavolo’s eyebrows furrowed at that.

“Hmm… I take it that Lucifer and his brothers wanted this to be a surprise for you.” His face softened as he placed a hand on my shoulder. “You see, Belle, tonight’s party is being thrown for you as well. It seems that the student council would all like to express their appreciation.”

“Is… are you serious?” I let out, still stunned beyond measure.

“Of course,” Diavolo replied, gently relieving me of my Demonus glass. “Did you really think all those presents were for me alone?”

At the word presents, I was reminded of how Mammon had been acting when Belphie and I confronted him about the present. He had gotten so flustered about it, and considering his tsundere attitude, I’m appalled that I didn’t piece things together sooner. As if on cue, Mammon came up to me, a small box wrapped in golden paper with an orange bow in his hands.

“I want you to know that  _ the _ Mammon actually worked part time at Hell’s Kitchen to save up the money to buy ya this present,” he declared, sounding sincerely proud of himself as he handed it to me. “I didn’t borrow money from any witches to pay for it. I didn’t steal or pawn stuff, either. Everything was done on the up and up, okay?”

I opened the box, finding what looked like a golden hairpin. It was shaped like a crow in flight, and I couldn’t help but smile at it. I slid it into my hair, clipping it into place. Seeing me to that, Mammon lit up like a christmas tree, doing a silent fist pump as he rejoined the crowd. Levi came up next with a large brown bag filled with orange paper. I took it and began pulling out the paper, noting how Barbatos discretely collected it so it wouldn’t make a mess. When I finally reached the present, I found that it was a collection of hardback editions of Tales of the Seven Lords.

“I know you own the DVD boxset, but I figured you’d enjoy reading the actual series that started it all,” Levi began. “I could only get my hands on the first seven though, but I’ll gladly lend you the other 131 volumes I have, provided you make sure to take good care of them, and don’t dog ear the pages, and don’t eat anything while reading-”

I hugged him, cutting off his rant before it could really get going.

“Thank you, Levi. I love them.”

He turned as red as a tomato as I let him go. I set the books down next to me, Barbatos ferreting them away. No doubt I would find them waiting for me back in my room when I returned to the House of Lamentation tonight. The next demon to come give me a gift was Satan, who had a book of his own in his hand.

“Books enrich one’s life,” the fourth brother mused. “That’s true whether you’re a human or a demon. And this one here is one of my favorites. I hope it ends up making your life a little richer.”

I took the book, glancing at the title to see it was an epic fantasy novel, one I had seen him reading on more than one occasion. I smiled at it, nodding and hugging him too. I nearly choked on the feathers of his massive boa, but he simply adjusted it before hugging me back.

“I can’t wait to read it,” I told him.

When we parted, he readjusted his boa, then rejoined his others. Barbatos once again slipped off with the book, no doubt for it to join the ones Levi gave me. Asmo then flounced towards me, smiling as he took my hands in his.

“My present to you is that outfit you’re wearing,” he declared. “Also, if you ever want me to do your make-up again, all you have to do is ask. I’ll gladly make my beautiful human even more so whenever you wish.”

I’ll admit, his praise was making me blush like crazy, a dopey smile on my face. He kissed me on the cheek, then leaned in to whisper in my ear.

“I’ve also got a special strawberry perfume that I absolutely know you’ll love. I remember how you were eying it this afternoon, and I’ve ordered you your own bottle.”

“Thanks Asmo,” I said, laughing lightly. “For everything.”

He squeezed my hand, then bounced off to join his brothers. Beel then came up to join me. He had a strange ticket in his hand that I realized was some sort of coupon. He held it out to me, looking more than a little sheepish.

“Here,” he said after a moment. “It’s a ticket for one years worth of free meals at Hell’s Kitchen.”

“Wait, really?” I questioned, taking the ticket and looking at it. “You’re seriously giving this to me?”

“I’ll admit, it kills me to give it away, but…” Beel smiled warmly at it, “for you, I’ll do it Belle.”

I slid the ticket into my pocket, then gave Beel a hug like I had the others. He bent down slightly and wrapped his arms around me, lifting me up so I was a good foot off the ground. I accepted the hug happily, holding on tight until he finally put me down. Once I was back on my feet, he stepped away, and Lucifer approached. With a flourish only Lucifer could pull off, he held out a hand, which contained a small, black jewelry box with a red ribbon. I undid the ribbon, opening the box to reveal a beautiful silver broach. There was a stone centered in the middle of the broach that looked as if someone had taken a scoop out of the night sky.

“This broach is embedded with a midnight stone,” Lucifer explained, plucking the jewel out of the box while carefully affixing it to my scarf. “Even here in the Devildom, it’s considered a rare gem. When we went shopping together, this was in the display window at Hocus Pocus. I believe it caught your eye.”

“It did, yeah,” I nodded, recalling the shop he mentioned. “I remember feeling embarrassed because I sounded so childish when I declared ‘it has stars’ louder than I intended.”

“Well now, it’s yours,” Lucifer declared, stepping back. “I want you to have it as a memento of your time here in the Devildom.” He took my hand in his, giving me the warmest smile I think I’ve ever seen him give. “I wanted you to understand how much I appreciate you, as did each of me brothers. But without an opportunity like this, we wouldn’t have been able to properly communicate that, would we?” He squeezed my hand. “Thank you, Belle. For everything.”

“No, thank you,” I said, turning to the others. “All of you. When I first came here, I was scared. I didn’t think I’d survive a week. But now...” I could feel tears welling in my eyes. “Now… I feel like I’m where I belong. I feel like a part of me I didn’t know I was missing is finally back where it belongs. Thank you. Just… thank you...”

“Aw… Bella,” Asmo gushed, a hand on his heart as his eyes sparkled with emotion.

“Hey, wait a minute,” Satan let out, glancing around the room. “Has anyone seen Belphie around?”

“He must have slipped off,” Levi mused, giving a shrug. “He always was better at that then I was.”

“Maybe so, but don’t you think he’d at least give Belle a present before disappearing?” Asmo retorted, crossing his arms.

“Dammit,” Mammon growled, already searching the crowd. “Where’d he go?”

“Easy guys,” I insisted, waving them all down. “I got this. I’ll find him and bring him back.”

Leaving me to do just that, I slipped away from the party to find Belphie.

…

It didn’t take long to find him, as I had an idea of where he would go. I found a path that led out towards the massive garden surrounding the castle. There was a lake with a gazebo that was surrounded by a cobblestone path, a stunningly beautiful place that almost didn’t look like it belonged in a place called the Devildom. Belphie was sitting in the gazebo, perched on the fencing while looking out at the starry sky. I lightly knocked on one of the wooden pillars as I approached, drawing Belphie’s attention.

“Hm?” he let out, turning around and smiling when he saw me. “Oh, I was wondering who was there.”

“Just me,” I answered, coming and sitting down across from him.

“Are you sure it’s okay for you to be heading off by yourself and coming to a spot like this? Surely the others have told you by now that you’re tonight’s guest of honor.”

“Yeah, they did,” I nodded, one hand going to the crow hairpin while the other went to my midnight stone broach. “Still, I wanted to come find you, make sure you were alright.”

“Really?” Belphie laughed lightly, shaking his head. “Well, you certainly are a strange one, Belle. Have you become some sort of expert at finding me or something? Even after I went through all the trouble of slipping out of the party unnoticed and coming here to relax.”

“If you want some time to yourself, I can leave if you wish,” I offered, making to slide off the railing.

“No,” Belphie said a bit too quickly, moving to stop me. “No… if I’m being honest, I had a feeling you might come after me.”

I arranged myself back on the railing so I was comfortable. Belphie did the same, and we both looked out at the stars for a bit. I’d still not been able to solve the enigma of the eternal night of the Devildom, nor did I think I ever would. Still, I couldn’t deny the beauty of the endless starry sky.

“I guess the others have already given you their gifts,” Belphie mused, gesturing to my new accessories. “Did you like them?”

“Yeah, they were so sweet. Even Mammon put in an honest effort on the gift.”

“That’s good to hear.” Belphie adjusted himself again so he could face me fully, and I did the same. “You know, I had a hard time deciding what to get you for a present, and maybe this isn’t very original of me, but...”

He hesitated, and I could tell he was a bit nervous. I straightened up, giving him my most patient smile. Seeing that seemed to fill him with confidence and he got to his feet.

“Belle,” he began before sliding onto one knee, “how would you like to make me yours?”

My words caught in my throat. My eyes bulged out of my head, and my jaw hit the ground. I don’t even think I was able to speak. Was… Was Belphie offering to make a pact with me?! My expression must have been as amusing as it felt because Belphie’s facade crumbled and he chuckled.

“Don’t be so shocked,” he quipped. “I’m asking if you’ll make a pact with me.”

“No, no,” I squeeked. “I got that part. I just- I thought you weren’t going to consider making a pact for awhile. I don’t want you to force yourself to make one just because you feel you have to.”

“I did say something like that before, I’ll admit,” Belphie nodded, “When Solomon asked the other day, I know I made it sound like I didn’t want a pact with anyone at all. But you, you care enough to actually take my opinion into account. I know you won’t turn me into your own personal servant, working me like a slave and making absurd demands and stuff.”

“No, never,” I agreed. “The only reason I order Mammon around is because it’s the only way he’ll actually get shit done. And secretly, I think he enjoys it.”

That got a rather loud snort out of Belphie and he actually bent over while trying to stifle his laughter.

“Sounds like Mammon,” Belphie nodded before clearing his throat. “But there’s more to it than that, Belle. I want to be the closest demon to you… the first one you turn to for help whenever you need it. I want to do this right, and finally make up for everything I put you through.”

“Belphie...”

“So… please Belle?”

Belphie held out a hand for me, his eyes pleading for me to say yes. Melting at his glittering pink eyes, I gave in and nodded, placing my right hand in his offered one. He clasped it gently, closing his eyes.

“I am Belphegor, Avatar of Sloth. I pledge myself to you, Isabella Collins, that we may be bound by an unbreakable pact. This I swear to you on both my name and the very blood that runs through my veins.”

Magic immediately gathered around our hands, coalescing into a purple light. When it faded, a metallic purple bangle was looped around Belphie’s wrist, and I had gained a new charm. It was the same metallic purple color, and looked like an inverted trident with two legs coming out of the opposite side of the main crescent. Between these two legs was a five pointed star.

“Purple,” I mused. “My favorite color.”

Belphie looked at his bangle, smiling warmly.

“Here’s to a long and lasting relationship, Belle,” he declared.

I reached down and pulled him to his feet, giving him a big hug. He returned it in kind, burying his face in my neck. For the first time since his release, I didn’t feel self conscious about his presence. Like with the rest of the brothers, I felt safe with Belphie, and it wasn’t just because of the pact. What happened between us was all in the past, and we were ready to face the future together.

“Oi!” Asmo’s voice called, cutting through the calmness of the night. “What are you doing all the way over  _ there _ , Belle?”

“Belphie’s with her,” Beel spoke up, joining the fifth brother.

“Hey!” Mammon shouted. “Belle! Whaddya think you’re doin?! Did ya forget you’re the guest of honor?! Get back to the party, on the double!”

Both Belphie and I laughed, breaking our hug before turning towards the brothers.

“It’s hard to have much time alone to talk when you’re that popular, huh?” Belphie mused.

“Trust me, I don’t think I’ve been alone since I got down here,” I replied, holding out a hand. “Ready to return to the party?”

“Yeah,” he nodded, taking the offered hand. “Let’s head back.”

We began walking to join the others and he pulled me a bit closer.

“Just so you know, it’s not because you’re Lilith’s descendant that I want to protect you and keep you safe,” he said quietly. “Lilith was very special to me, she was my sister… But you’re not her, Belle. I want to do it because you’re  _ you. _ And don’t you forget it.”

I can’t even begin to describe the warmth that flooded me when I said that. His voice was filled with so much love and sincerity, and I knew he meant every word. I wasn’t a replacement for Lilith, like I had secretly wondered. I was me, and that’s all I had to be. With those kind words making my heart soar, we rejoined the others and went back to the party.


End file.
